The Vortex Chronicles
by Majin Magus
Summary: A girl has appeared, and she is a powerful wizard. Will she help Crono and his friends or destroy them? Read to find out...
1. Dark Sorceress

The Dark Sorceress 

_Book One in the Vortex Chronicles_

__

A Chrono Trigger Fan-Fiction by Majin Magus 

Oddly enough, Ozzie hadn't died from his fall in his own fort. He was barely able to teleport away and leave his shield to crumble, creating the illusion he was dead. Ozzie had almost died at the hands of Ayla, Crono, and his former master, Magus. 

"Traitor." Ozzie mumbled as he floated around. Slash and Flea were alive too, they had just teleported away right before what would have been the killing blow.

None left the fort, for with almost all their magic drained and no lackeys to protect them, the three Mystics would surely be killed.

"I am getting SO bored!" Slash yelled, cleaving up a suit of armor. Flea stopped her absentminded wandering and whirled around at him.

"And what do you propose we do? Go out there for humans to kill us? Go ahead, suicidal fool! Ozzie and I are not so stupid!" Flea screamed. Ozzie floated down the staircase.

"Perhaps we shoulda made Magus's old place our hideaway. I know there's more room in there." Ozzie moaned. Flea turned around to face him.

"Oh, okay! I get it! We're always doing this, complaining that we don't have anything to do! We haven't done this since, hmmm…" Flea put on finger on her chin in mock-thoughtfulness.

"YESTERDAY!" 

"Don't get your braid in a tangle!" Slash muttered. Ozzie floated back up the stairs and Flea stormed down to the entrance chamber. Slash just slumped down and began to doze.

"Fools. Maybe they want to be killed by humans, but I don't! things were so much better before Sir Magus betrayed us. I wish he hadn't." Flea's anger made a griffin-like statue at her side explode.

"Bored are we, my dear Flea?" A voice asked. Flea snapped her head up. It couldn't be!

Magus stood there, grinning maliciously. He was bedraggled and his cape was torn in several places. Flea could see that he was so weak he could not support his own weight. It's what _was_ supporting his weight that caught Flea's eye.

"Hello…" The girl said. She smiled in almost the exact Magus had. She had spiky long blonde hair and a blood red bandana across her forehead. Her eyes were an icy blue and she wore a long purple cape. She had black gloves that were gray where the glove ended on her arm. Her ears were pointed like Magus's. She was about eighteen.

The girl wore a deep blue tunic and the same color for her pants. Her boots were the exact color as her gloves. She also wore a long black leather string with a single icy eye shaped medallion. 

"I am the wizard Vortex. Pleased to meet you…" Flea grinned and flung a fireball at Vortex. 

"Psy powers!" Vortex grabbed a medallion at her chest. The fireball did a 180 and shot after Flea. She ran screaming up the stairs with her own fireball chasing her.

"Heal!" Vortex healed Magus and he stood up. The two wizards walked up the stairs. They had gotten to the fifth room when:

"The traitor returns!" Three voices said. Slash, Flea (her hair was charred and singed), and Ozzie appeared. They all gloated like they were superior. Since his power was very weak, Magus took a step back, which symbolized Vortex should fight.

"So…a mere girl wishes to fight us! This shouldn't take long!" Slash took out his Slasher. A fire blazed in Vortex's eyes. Her medallion began to ebb. Magus stepped back to the wall. 

"Yea! Magus, you've become _this _weak? Sending a girl to do work for you? And I weak one I'll wager!" Ozzie laughed. Vortex's medallion was shining like crazy and Magus felt the Black Wind.

Magus smiled. "Ozzie's gonna be aching in the morning…" He said in a soft singsong voice.

"WAGER THIS!!" Vortex screamed. Her spiky hair flew straight up and an eye appeared in the middle of her forehead. She grabbed her medallion and chanted.

"Natoosay…Nokeelay…" Vortex whispered. She was chanting a long spell, but she could concentrate on a shield and prepared her attacks at the same time. 

"Mapatta cooyosaie…" All three of her eyes closed and she rose her medallion up into the air. It began to twirl madly in midair. Ozzie and his companions had stopped their spells to watch.

"FIRE!!!" Vortex pointed her hand and…they were gone.

"Vortex why did you do that?" Magus cried, enraged. Vortex folded her arms and leaned against a tree. They were in the woods near Glenn's home.

"My power is too extreme to waste on them…and yours is too. Now, what do you say we go visit the frog?" Vortex suggested. Magus sighed. He wasn't about to go and toy which such a power…yet. 

Vortex and Magus started walking. Vortex's third eye had disappeared and her medallion wasn't glowing. 

Just as they entered Glenn's house, he hopped down from the rafters and put his sword to Magus's throat. Then his eyes flickered for half a second to Vortex, but then he was staring with his frog eyes at Magus.

"Villain…" Glenn hissed. "Why art thou here? If I need make such and inquiry. Thou art here to slay me! Do I speak the truth?" Magus rolled his eyes and shook his head slightly.

Glenn, still suspicious, but away the Masamune. Magus's power had been drained slightly from the sword so he sat down. Glenn then bowed to Vortex.

"And who art thou, lovely lady?" Glenn asked politely. The fire in Vortex's eyes began to blaze and her medallion began to flash madly. Seeing the infuriated look on her face, Glenn said 

"Uh, and who art thou, mighty warrior?" Vortex calmed. 

"I am Vortex. I have many talents. Pray you never find them out." Vortex went over to Magus and helped him up. 

"And so? Why are thee here?" Magus shrugged. He slightly jerked his head toward Vortex. Glenn's eyes opened wide. If Magus wasn't here on his own will, Vortex must be stronger than him!

"Um, oh! I forgot to tell ye! Sir Crono and his friends are stopping by today with Epoch. Would thou…would thou stay?" Glenn had forced the last sentence out. He didn't want Magus in his home.

"Yes." Magus answered. They sat down and conversed slightly until they heard the Epoch outside. Crono jumped down first, then Marle, Lucca, Robo, and Ayla in that order. Ayla immediately walked over to Vortex. Magus motioned for the others to come over to him.

"That's Vortex. Call her lady, girl, chick, whatever and she'll kill you. She more powerful…more powerful than all of us together.

"Hello. You warrior?" Ayla asked. Vortex nodded.

"And you'd be…?" Vortex questioned, while her medallion ebbed slightly. 

"Me Ayla, chief of Ioka. Pretty jewel you have. Ayla see?" Vortex reluctantly held up the glowing eye medallion on a thick leather string. 

"Nice jewelry. Where you get it? It pretty." Ayla smiled. She was two inches from the line of the other side of Vortex's temper. The medallion was flashing every other second now. Ayla was treading the thin line that leaded to death.

Ayla walked over to Crono and said, "Nice girl. Pretty and nice jewelry.

That did it. Vortex flung a solid wall of black energy from her already outstretched hand. Ayla staggered and fell. Lucca used a Revive and Ayla rose to her knees panting. Everyone but Magus glared at Vortex.

Vortex simply smiled. "She deserved it. That was one my many talents. You'll find about another one tonight. Lucca, Marle, and Ayla alone are invited." Glenn was about to ask why when Magus kicked him in the back of the leg.

"Magus!" Glenn hissed. When he turned, Magus's eyes were opened wide and he shook his head furiously. Glenn looked puzzled but decided to trust Magus.

That night Ayla, Lucca, and Marle were sitting on the ground next to Glenn's home. The hole to it had been sealed with impenetrable shadow energy by Vortex. She alone could undo it.

"Ready?" Vortex asked, standing on a log. Marle nodded while Lucca and Ayla looked suspiciously at the mage. 

Vortex opened her mouth…and sang. 

It was an unearthly, beautiful sound. The song she sung…it was in a language none had never heard and yet had no words. Vortex sang for what seemed like an eternity but was only about ten minutes. 

That night when Vortex had gone out (she didn't say why), Marle described what happened to Crono and the others who weren't there. After the explanation, Magus interrupted Marle's description of Vortex's voice.

"She's a Siren." He said plainly. Everyone stared. "Don't know how or why…her talents, they're not of this planet. Think about it. She's superior to us in every way we know. She must be alien."

Lucca shrieked. Everyone turned to look at her. "You don't think…no…she could be here to take over our world?!" 

"You mean…like another Lavos?" Marle moaned. Everyone looked nervous. 

"If she was here to take over the world, she could do it in the blink of an eye. Let's find out her intentions first. We can't attack her, we'll be slaughtered." Magus then looked up through the hole out of Glenn's house. "If she went to a town she probably be presumed as one of my affiliates." 

Honestly. To think that those idiot people think I'm still waging a war with them." Magus stopped as Vortex appeared. She hadn't come from the hole, she had just…appeared. 

"I went to Truce and they were all raving about how I was part of 'Magus's army' and that the war was starting again. Suppose they'll kill you on sight now…not that they wouldn't have before…" Vortex looked at Magus and smirked. 

"So…what's next on the agenda?" Vortex looked around and saw everyone staring at her. She saw a clutter of different emotions. Anger, suspicion, fear, amazement, hatred, bewilderment, and a strange sort of melancholy. 

"Okay, so now you're all staring at me, why??" Vortex asked, her medallion beginning to glow. 

Magus shook away his thoughts and sent a tiny electric shock to each of the others. They all blinked and then began to look away from Vortex.

"_Well, if everyone's done staring at me!!_" Vortex hissed. Robo stepped up and walked to Vortex.

"There is a beast in the Trann Dome that is…um, eating the humans there. Vortex, we could use your help." Robo beeped. Lucca nudged the tan colored robot.

"How come you didn't ask US?" she whispered. Robo then explained that the monster had a large power and he didn't think all seven of them combined and at their very best could destroy it. 

"I'll help…but only because I'm bored." Vortex sighed. "Meet you there. Trann Dome? Okay." Vortex clasped her left hand over her medallion and raised her right arm up, her fingers clenched save the index and middle.

"Time…Medallion…Power!" Vortex's eyes closed for a moment then flashed open again. "EMBARK!" She yelled. In flash the mage was gone.

"Oh God…she can time-travel!" Marle gasped. Then, Crono, Marle and Lucca got in the Epoch and went to Trann Dome. In seconds Crono was back and he let Glenn and Ayla climb in.

Glenn returned in Epoch. He watched grudgingly as Magus jumped into the machine. 

"Forward to 2300 AD!" Glenn ordered Epoch. The machine dipped into the wavy energy of time. Magus laughed as the Epoch rocked violently.

"So smooth of a driver you are, frog!" Magus snickered. Glenn looked behind him and bared his teeth.

"Magus! Hold thy tongue!" Glenn yelled. They then arrived in the bright future. There was green grass, shiny running water, but the people were still dreary and drab. Trann Dome had been rebuilt but…

BOOM!

Lucca came running up. "We got here, but we can't find Vortex!! Those people are being slaughtered! Magus, Glenn, HELP!!" Magus hid a smile. Vortex was probably watching the onslaught with a box of popcorn. He flew over and entered the dome.

Sure enough, Vortex was sitting on a rafter out of the sight of the humans being killed by a beast that resembled Heckran. Magus grinned then flew up to sit by her and watch.

Magus was just creeping up behind when Vortex said, "Robo was wrong. You and Ayla together could take it." Magus nearly fell out of the air with shock.

"Yes, it doesn't feel all…that…" Magus watched as the Heckran-monster fired a red energy beam and its power went up ten-fold. Vortex sighed. 

"I suppose I could go kill it. The survivors might want barbecue." Vortex summoned an attack. It was called the 'Deadly Crystal Barrage.' Her icy blue eyes focused on the monster. It must have felt the power signature, for it turned. As soon as it laid eyes on Vortex it bellowed a laugh.

"Ha haa haaa! Stupid girl not hurt me…blonde with blue eyes…weak warrior! Stupid girl!!" the monster laughed. A slit then appeared in the middle of Vortex's forehead. The slit opened to reveal another icy eye. The medallion was blazing with a blinding golden light. 

"DEADLY CRYSTAL BARRAGE!!" Vortex roared. She blasted hundreds of black crystal at the monster. The monster disappeared and the remaining humans fled from Trann Dome.

"Such power…" Magus whispered. 

"And it just disappeared?"

"No body!!??"

"Yes." Magus was describing Vortex's powers. They were all back in 600 A.D Magus was about to describe the immense power and yet it wasn't an alien power when…

**Magus…come to Magic Cave. Something…is going on.** Magus whirled around and flew out of Glenn's home. 

"Vortex sent me a telepathic message! I'll be back." He flew with the moon reflecting off his face and cloak. He quickly cast an invisibility spell when he saw hundreds of tiny fire around Magic Cave's entrance. He perched on a ledge a foot about the entrance.

"Evil demon!" One of the people yelled. Hundreds of angry people with torches (some with pitchforks) were surrounding Vortex, who was grinning broadly.

"Admit it! You have come to prepare our lands for the return of Magus!!" the Elder of Porre yelled. Vortex smiled again and shook her head.

"I'm only here to have a bit of fun! You should be thankful I don't slay you all where you stand!!" Vortex cried, demonstrating by creating a great ball of ice blue energy over herself.

"Death threats! Kill her!" One yelled.

"STOP!" Magus roared. He uncloaked himself and dropped next to Vortex. 

"Magus!!" The entire crowd gasped. Magus grinned maliciously. Then he glanced over at Vortex.

"You idiots! I've been gone for months and you still think I'm waging a war against you! Sure, Ozzie, Slash, and Flea are still living, but I betrayed them…I never cared for the war!! I didn't care whether my own armies lost or won!" Magus yelled. 

"IT IS TRUE!!" Vortex roared when the crowd was getting ready to call the wizard a liar. Vortex then grasped her medallion and both of them vanished.

Magus woke up on his back. He was soft green grass and the sound of a waterfall was distant. Vortex was standing on the edge of the isle. There were some buildings close by, but Magus's vision was blurry.

"Where is this?" Magus asked harshly. Vortex didn't flinch. She gripped her medallion and chanted a tiny phrase. Then she looked up.

"My home." She said simply. Magus quickly whipped his head to see where they were. What he saw made his jaw drop.

"ZEAL!!" Magus gasped. He glared at Vortex. She looked back, her eyes a bit glazed over. "Liar! You do not live here…and _why _is it here?"

Vortex snickered. "You saw my ability to time travel, yes? We are currently in the year 12,050 B.C." Vortex flicked her purple cape back. "I once lived here…I'll tell you, if you like." Magus nodded slowly.

"I'll use my medallion to show you my memory. I will narrate, of course." Vortex held the medallion tightly. "Memories…come alive! Show me the past!" The grassy plain of the Enhasa Isle seemed to fade around them, replacing it for the inside of Kajar. Magus and Vortex vanished from their own sight.

It was night. The books of Fire were opened to those who needed to work in the dark. Along a dark corridor Magus and Vortex moved. Vortex seemed to be willing their movement with her mind. 

"I lived here, in Kajar. My family and I didn't care for sleeping our days away in Enhasa. My brother and I were members of the Royal family's adviser council. I had been sleeping in my room when I heard a sound." Magus watched as a young girl, no more than thirteen, crept silently out of a room. Soft, lavender robes draped about her. Oddly, her ears were not pointed. She had icy blue eyes and bright blonde hair, both which shown brilliantly in the night gloom.

"That's me. Anyway, I followed the sound to Kajar's doors. There I found…" Vortex paused as her younger self gasped at a boy with black hair and shiny green eyes. He wore completely black, from his cape to his boots. He was about sixteen.

"…my brother Storm." Vortex stopped talking as the two young people engaged a conversation.

"Storm! Where are you going?" the younger Vortex said.

"Vortex…I hoped I would see you before I left." Storm replied, looking forlorn.

"Answer my question!" she snapped. Storm chuckled lightly and dug into his cape. He extracted a medallion that was shaped like a single icy blue eye. 

"I was going to keep this, but since you came, I'll give it to you to remember me by." Storm pushed the medallion into Vortex's hand. She slipped her over her head and pulled her long blonde hair out the way. 

This event was familiar to Magus. "Schala gave me a pendant. But not one that powerful. It was a defense weapon, not an offense weapon." Vortex (the older one) sighed.

"Mine's defensive, too." She whispered. They kept watching the two Zealen people.

"I'll wear it always." Vortex (now the younger one) whispered. Storm's face suddenly turned serious and stony.

"We are not of this race, Vortex. Have you ever guessed this?" He looked up at his sister. 

"Yes. Every night. Our hair, our spirits, they are warrior spirits. We're not like all the other Zealen people." Vortex smiled faintly. "My eyes…"

"We are…well, whenever mother tells us about our heritage…" Storm paused to listen. Vortex nodded.

"She is lying. I know. Good bye brother Storm. Stay clear of the Black Wind, Storm!" Vortex grinned as Storm chanted a spell.

"Come find me, I doubt I'll make it back. Just…for now, sister, keep your spirit to yourself. Careful of your hidden powers. That medallion will channel them a hundred-fold. More, perhaps." Storm jumped and disappeared suddenly. Vortex turned and went back to her room.

"That was last time I saw him. Now we'll go to the day I was…well…you'll find out." Vortex concentrated and Magus and herself vanished from the night. 

It was the opposite of the last memory. The Enhasa Isle was bustling with Enlightened going in and out, and using the Land Bridges all the time. Vortex, now exactly dressed the same as her current form, with the absence of pointed ears, hovered a few inches from the ground next to the edge.

Her blonde hair was ruffled with a slight breeze, and against the eighty-degree weather her eyes looked especially icy. The young girl turned her head to look over her shoulder at the group of young Enlightened girls, about her age, chattering noisily about how cute the prince of Zeal was.

"Hey! Come join us!" one of the girls called out. Vortex turned her head back the opposite way and snorted diversely. Then she flew up to the Isle with Kajar and the palace on it. The group of girls marveled her ability to fly. 

"I wonder if there's a way to leave this accursed place. No matter what the price, I'd pay it." Vortex mumbled. Suddenly, as the young girl turned her head to look down on her medallion, she discovered it was not there.

"HEY!" Vortex screamed. Her head spun around wildly until she saw him, a young Zealen boy, about five years old, running towards the cave transports with her necklace.

"COME BACK HERE!!" Vortex roared. She sprang into the air and flew at about one hundred miles an hour. The boy darted in and out between trees. Then he slowed down and danced a bit by the edge of the island.

"Give it to me…" Vortex hissed as she landed beside the boy. He clutched the precious medallion and shook his head with a grin on his face.

"Okay…we'll do it MY WAY!!" Vortex yelled. An icy eye appeared on her forehead. It blinked and looked at the boy. All three of her eyes were bloodshot. 

"Aaah! Mommy!!" the little boy ran screaming for the cave. Vortex retrieved the medallion and blasted an enormous energy ball at him. There was a chunk missing from the edge of the island. A small figure could be seen writhing and tumbling to the freezing land below. 

"Vortex! That behavior…" the Queen of Zeal screeched.

'Was unacceptable, you'll be banished for this.' Vortex thought, mentally shaking with glee. No matter where she went from the banishment, it wouldn't be here! She'd be gone from Zeal forever. 

"We will banish you from Zeal." The Queen said. Vortex tried to look sullen and afraid, but internally she was shaking with excitement and joy. "You will be throw into the Portal at five PM tomorrow."

"No! No…Queen Yor! Spare my daughter! She is…is…" the woman who called herself Vortex's mother gasped.

"An evil creature. Your 'daughter' is evil. She murdered my nephew without showing a qualm! For what? _A necklace!_" Yor grabbed the medallion from around Vortex's neck, snapping the leather band. She examined it and was about to crush it when,

"Give…it…back." Vortex said slowly. Her blue eyes were sending a chill and her fists clenched and unclenched inside her gloves. A shimmering mist appeared in the center of her forehead.

"Give back your stupid jewel? And what for? You cannot get it from me! You are a commoner! You killed my nephew with a weapon…the Queen of Zeal is the most powerful person that lives!" Yor laughed as Vortex glared darkly at her. Vortex's 'mother' backed away.

"Give it to her, Yor." The woman whispered.

"GIVE IT TO ME!!" Vortex roared. Her blonde hair flew up in every direction. Her third eye appeared. Unimaginable power flowed and coursed from her. 

"We can do this the painful way, or we can do this…my…way. Your choice, lest you join your precious nephew!" Vortex hissed. Yor tremblingly threw the medallion at Vortex, who caught it in a second.

"The Portal! NOW!!!" Yor screamed. Two soldiers shoved Vortex into a hole of nothingness. Vortex stayed by the entrance for a few seconds.

"Fools!!" she yelled. "You have no idea what power you have released…" Vortex chanted and gripped the medallion. The black nothingness of the Portal turned to a mixed blue and purple. The Portal closed and Vortex was gone.

Magus returned to the ground. Only now, instead of warm Zealen grass, it was crisp, leafy dirt. They were back in the Cursed Woods.

"You…you…" Magus gasped. He was shaking on his knees. Vortex smirked and pulled out her medallion from within her cape.

"That was me. It's been five or so years since I left that stinking place. The weaklings of Zeal kingdom…I was never one of them. So Magus, what say we return to our allies?" Vortex spoke as if nothing had happened.

"What day is it?" Magus asked slowly. Vortex laughed.

"The same as when we left. The same hour, in fact. We were never anywhere but in my own mind. I used my medallion to replicate my memories to show you how different, and alike, we are." Magus didn't respond. Instead he walked to Glenn's 'door' and climbed down. Vortex heard of shriek of surprise. She dropped down into the burrow.

"Vortex! Where were you?" Vortex simply smirked and headed for the exit. 

"I'm going out for a few hours. No doubt Magus will want to regale you with what happened this night." Vortex indicated Magus, who was more pale than usual and shaking. 

"I wonder what I should do now." Vortex sighed. She stared at her medallion. The unblinking charm stared back at her. Vortex put it away and flew towards the woods near Ozzie's Fort. 

Vortex landed with a slight thud. She inched towards the blue pyramid, her face growing ever more excited. 

"If this is what I think…" She held up her medallion. The eye shot out a beam straight into the pyramid.

"The ancient treasure. I'll reveal it's true power!" Vortex floated up and charged all her powers. She lifted both her arms is a guard motion over her forehead and swiftly struck her arms back to her side. Her energies penetrated the blue mistiness around the structure and the outer wall vanished.

"The Cysta Staff…it is mine. No mere sword or helmet will I receive, but the ultimate weapon ever created on this planet!!" Vortex laughed a chilly laugh that echoed up the towers of Ozzie's Fort. Vortex rushed forward and pushed aside the Nu that was waking up.

Kicking the small treasure chest open, Vortex reached with trembling hands into the box. She pulled out a stick, no more than a foot long, but heavily engraved with gems of all sorts. Rubies, sapphires, diamonds, emeralds…they all meant nothing to the female warrior. She read the inscription just above a fabulous shining amethyst. 

"Nihtiw rewop eht eraweb, nopaew siht smialc reveohw…" Vortex snickered at the inscription. " 'Whoever claims this weapon, beware the power within.' Backwards writing. Really!" Vortex gripped the staff and it lengthened just enough to be easily handled and powerful. Vortex took off back to Cursed Woods.

"So…she's from Zeal?" Crono asked skeptically. Magus nodded.

"She's from 12,050 B.C, just fifty years before you came. But she's not an alien. She may not be Zealen, but she _is _human. She showed me her memories, as I explained, and well…I guess every world has to have a supreme-being." Magus sighed. He had talked since Vortex had left four hours ago. 

Vortex appeared suddenly. "Ha hah!" She waved the extended staff over her head in complete joy and triumph. "All hail me, for I am the champion of the world!!" Ayla almost dropped to her knees but caught herself.

"What's that?" All seven of the people asked at once. 

"The Cysta Staff!" Vortex cried happily, gazing straight into Magus's eyes. They opened wide in shock. He shuffled forward.

"Come…we must go see Melchior…" Magus grabbed Vortex's arm. She used the time-travel technique and they arrived at the small hut within minutes.

"Ah Magus! And who…might…your… friend…" the Guru stopped in mid-sentence as his eyes darted from Magus, to Vortex's eyes, hair, and medallion.

"No! Vortex? How…" Melchior then jumped back in shock when he saw the Cysta Staff.

"I gave only that power to Storm! No…you can't have opened the seal…but your medallion…"

Vortex smiled smugly. "Storm gave it to me…guess this spoils the plan, huh?" She swung the medallion around.

"You couldn't! You won't!" Melchior gasped. Vortex smiled maliciously. 

"Oh, of course not…not while I'm _on _the planet anyway…" Vortex threw her head back and laughed. "I know now what Storm was trying to say. For five years it has plagued me, day and night, night and day. 'We are not of this race…' he was trying to give me a hint." Vortex turned to Magus.

"You thought I wasn't an alien? Well guess again. I'm positive I am…I'm right aren't I, old man?" Vortex turned back to the Guru who face had gone as deathly pale as Magus's.

"Yes…you're of the race _Nakabuto_. We found you outside Enhasa, with your brother. The bravest family in Zeal took you in and was trying to stamp the alien out of you. You're like Lavos, though you have not yet discovered it." Melchior whispered.

"Lavos? No, I am _far _smarter than he! I will not appear on one day and allow myself to be slaughtered by a trio of weaklings! I will not suck this planet dry of energy, or purge it of all life." Vortex's head drooped. "I will not kill or destroy…those who do not deserve it!"

"But, be serious. You have more power than all of the life here together. Why bother with conquest?" Magus asked, turning his head towards Vortex. 

"CONQUEST?" Vortex shouted, enraged. "Who ever, _ever _said _anything_ about conquest?? I am NOT here to enslave. I simply wish to explore. Explore the world, which if fully informed, would never admit me. Explore the world where vicious and kind beings are an everyday thing!" Vortex turned and walked out the door. In a flash she was gone.

"Well, maybe this will work itself out…" Magus looked at the aging guru. Melchior shook his head sadly.

"I'm afraid not, Prince Janus. The race…I know one day one of theirs will attack us. You must wait here for your friends, they should be coming soon." Melchior looked out the window and saw the Epoch flying straight at them.

Vortex parried and thrust at an invisible enemy. She had time-traveled to 12,000 BC and was training with the Cysta Staff there. She was just about to go back to 600 AD when an eerie black portal with purple bolts of lightning shooting out appeared.

"What the…" Vortex whispered. And out of that doom portal emerged her brother Storm. His black hair was sticking up and his green eyes were shining out of his sockets. His clothes were ragged and torn but still black.

"Hello Vortex. My, how you've grown. I have come in the name of the _Nakabuto_ race to destroy this world. Come with me, we are blood!" Storm reached out his hand to his sister. 

"I am not here to kill, though it may seem so. I know why you gave me the medallion…you knew you'd be consumed by the _Nakabuto_ power! You knew I'd fight it! Now you're just a shell…like the victims of Lavos!" Vortex yelled, charging up her icy strength. Her cold eyes blazed with a rage of fire.

"I see you are not to be fooled…okay, you can gather those seven pathetic allies of yours. Come to the Dactyl Nest tomorrow." Storm whispered. Vortex quickly searched her mind. The Dactyl Nest? What advantages would he have there? Of course… the planet was new and full of life for him to absorb!

"No. The Geno Dome." Vortex's medallion throbbed with cool blue light. The Cysta Staff vibrated in her hand. The jewels embedded in it began to shine brightly.

"You're no fool at picking fight grounds, but you don't have the skill to win! Tomorrow at dusk." Storm disappeared and Vortex went back to 600 AD.

"Where were you? You abandoned me with Melchior!!" Magus said, enraged. Vortex waved her hand impatiently.

"This is beyond that. My brother has returned. We must all fight together, or we will never win. The battlefield is Geno Dome tomorrow at dusk. Come with me to save your world." Vortex gestured towards herself. Lucca walked up and lightly touched the warrior's right arm.

"_Our _world." Lucca whispered. Vortex smiled and her medallion glowed. 

"The Cysta Staff will help only with suicide." Vortex looked around as no one was understanding what she had just said. She sighed.

"The Cysta Staff will only activate at full power when the bearer is going towards_ certain_ doom. There is no turning back." All the seven looked around. Then Marle stepped up.

"I'll do it." She said. Crono ran up and touched her shoulder. She shrugged his hand away. "We'll just ask Gaspar for another Chrono Trigger. I won't be gone for that long.

"No." Magus spoke up. Everyone turned to see what he had to say. "Only one Chrono Trigger can be used. Even Gaspar cannot make another one. And even if he did succeed, the events at the mountain in 2300 AD would not take place. One of us will die forever."

"I'm doing it." Vortex whispered. Before they could say no, she explained. "It's my brother, it's my race. It's my death that will not affect the time-continuum that much. And, the Cysta Staff must be destroyed, for its is a power that has never been seen in the history of time."

Glenn walked over. "Then again, thou's is a power never seeneth in the history of time." Vortex took about five steps backward. 

"You…you think my power is unimaginable?" Vortex asked slowly. All seven nodded. Vortex laughed weakly. "In my terms, I'm the weakest thing to ever walk this planet." All the color drained out of all's faces.

"Then we haven't a prayer." Magus said quietly. Vortex lengthened and shortened the Cysta Staff. She was growing tense.

"It's almost dusk in 2300 AD. We'll save time if we only make one trip. Magus, grab my arm!" Vortex commanded. Magus took Vortex's left arm in his hand and then Vortex gripped her medallion with her free hand and began to mutter.

"Now! Grab hold! Marle, Lucca, Crono, Frog, and Robo!" Vortex yelled. There was and icy blue orb surrounding all of them now. Vortex transported them all through time.

"We are here. Charge your powers to maximum. All must combine. Lightning, Fire, Water, and Shadow…even the non-magical powers. Now! YAAAH!" Vortex clenched her fists so tightly her thick gloves ripped open around the knuckles. A power unlike anything the seven had ever felt was coursing through the alien and themselves as well. 

"Luminaire!" Crono yelled. He raised his arms skyward and cast the most powerful Lightning spell. He absorbed the cast energy into himself, which was tripled. 

"Ice 2!" Marle screamed. The ice chunks fell on her and she took in all the frosty energy.

"Water 2!"

"Shock!"

"Flare!"

"Triple Kick!"

"DARK MATTER!!" 

All used their most powerful attacks and regained their energy ten-folded. As soon as all the energy that could be multiplied was, Vortex and the others walked slowly toward Geno Dome. What they did not notice was that the Epoch had followed them and landed by the sea.

"Are you so sure you want to do this?" Magus asked Vortex quietly. Vortex grinned sadly.

"I would let some one else do this in an instant if I didn't know for certain that I alone can activate the Cysta Staff with my death. The Cysta Staff is activated by my medallion." Vortex gripped the single icy eye then released it.

"It's too bad you have to do this. You're the most powerful, talented, _skilled_ warrior I have ever heard about and seen." Magus shook his head with melancholy. "It's a waste."

"We've arrived." Vortex hissed. The sky was black but they could make out a figure floating about the factory. It turned and came down. 

"Vortex…I knew you would come. I see you have the Cysta Staff. Give it to me!" Storm rushed forward. 

"Back! All of you!!" Vortex screamed. The seven warriors stepped back, watching the battle.

Storm threw a punch but Vortex blocked it with her staff. She shoved the end of the Cysta Staff into her brother's stomach.

"Oof!" he grunted. Vortex raised the staff high above her head and brought it down on down on Storm. He slammed into the dusty ground. Vortex cast Deadly Crystal Barrage but Storm dodged. One black crystal went right through his hand. Storm wrenched the shard out and grasped his hand in agony.

"I have no problem with killing you, for you are not my brother!" Vortex roared. She shot an icy beam at Storm. The wounded mage vanished and reappeared behind Vortex.

"Stupid girl! You cannot win!" Storm yelled. He threw a giant ball of purple energy at Vortex. She ran quickly out of the way, passing Magus as she dashed. She nodded quickly.

Vortex halted in point-blank range of Storm. She raised the Cysta Staff high above her head. She began to chant the verse which activated it. She had learned it back in Zeal, during a magic class. Once the line was said, there was no turning back.

" 'I take death willingly, for the need is great. I know the power of this artifact, and my own strength. I know I have sealed my fate with the accursed Cysta Staff of dismal power.'" Vortex said. She raised the staff high, then dug the top into the ground. 

"NO!! Not that staff! Vortex!!! STOP!" Storm shouted. He could not move for the power emitting from the staff was keeping him in place.

Now Vortex said her own verse. "I have embodied all my dreams, lived my life to the extent, and now I go to the most honorable death any can imagine. I have died for my world and all the inhabitants in it. To slay evil. To destroy the destroyers. It is my destiny." Vortex chanted, lightly rubbing an aquamarine on the Cysta Staff.

"No…" Magus whispered as Vortex leapt into the air. Her staff cut Storm's powers instantly. 

"No! Vortex! I am your brother! Don't do this!!" Storm cried. Vortex collided with the paralyzed wizard. There was a brilliant light and they were both gone.

"Look!" Marle pointed at the air. Seven gems flew down, each a different stone. To Glenn, a dazzling Tourmaline mineral shard. To Lucca, a beautiful Star Ruby. 

A glistening diamond dropped into Crono's palms while an emerald fell into Ayla's hand. Marle caught the most lovely amethyst gemstone. To Robo fell a rose quartz.

Magus flew up to catch his gem. He looked at it intently. It was a Tiger's Eye. The gem seemed to stare back at the dark mage. 

One by one they each used the Epoch to return to whichever era they desired. Except for Robo, who stayed in 2300 AD. They all mourned the lost of a great warrior, even Magus, for a little while.

And even though there was no threat, they all worried about the rest of the _Nakabuto_. But they agreed on one subject.

"The supposed 'Dark Sorceress' was not so dark after all…"

Fin


	2. Return

The Return

_Book Two in the Vortex Chronicles_

_A Chrono Trigger Fan Fiction by Majin Magus_

It was four months after the battle with Storm. Crono, Marle, and the others and all returned to their respective time eras. Magus had gone to 1000 AD but didn't let anyone know. He went to Melchior.

"Magus! It's been a long time since I saw you last. And where is Vortex?" Melchior asked. Magus turned his head away.

"She took the Cysta Staff and defeated her brother. She…she is dead. I don't know if anyone else but me cares. When she died, each of us received a gemstone." Magus showed Melchior the Tiger Eye. Melchior turned it over and around, then pressed the center of the stone. A small hologram appeared, standing on the stone. 

"Vortex!" Magus gasped. He bent down to look at the tiny picture of Vortex. The hologram moved a bit then it began to speak.

"I'm assuming this is Magus that is listening and watching. This stone cannot hold much hologram memory, so I'll make it quick. These stones I gave you hold the key to bringing me back. That is, if you want to bring me back." The hologram disappeared. Magus looked up at Melchior, who looked thoughtful.

"There's not enough information to bring Vortex back." Melchior sighed and Magus scowled. Then, all of a sudden, a voice coming from the gemstone began to sing.

"Kaze ni notte yume no kanata e tonde yukitai, yuuki to iu tsubasa wo tsukete." The voice sang. Melchior was surprised.

"That's Japanese!" he exclaimed. 

"Can you understand it?" Magus said urgently. Melchior shook his head.

"No, but I bet your friend Lucca can!" Magus snatched the Tiger Eye from Melchior and took off into the air. He flew full speed to Lucca's house out on the island close to Truce. 

"LUCCA!" Magus roared. The girl stumbled out in surprise. 

"Magus! I thought you were in 12000 BC!" she said. Lucca had her Star Ruby in her hand. Magus touched his Tiger Eye to her Star Ruby. The voice began to sing again. 

"Kaze ni notte yume no kanata e tonde yukitai, yuuki to iu tsubasa wo tsukete. Tori ni natte miorosu kokoru mochi tsuzuketai. Riaru na hibi ni makenai." The voice sang. Lucca walked into her house with Magus following.

"This is Japanese. It can translate it as soon as I find my book…" Lucca combed up and down until she found a thick book. She laid it on a table and flipped the pages. Then she provided a translation.

"I want to go ride the wind to the ends of my dreams, putting on the wings of bravery. I want to keep a spirit that can turn into a bird and gaze down. I won't lose to everyday reality." Lucca said. "Now what in the world could that mean?"

Magus searched his memory. '_Dream? Bird?' _Then he realized. "The Black Omen! Some called it the Black Dream. And the Blackbird…" 

"Then we all have to go to 12000 BC to the remains of the Black Omen and Blackbird." Lucca said. She picked up a phone and was about to call Crono. 

"No…that will take time. And I have a feeling we don't have much time. I'll go alone." Magus started to walk out the door. 

"No! We need to borrow the Epoch, so I'm coming too." Lucca protested. Magus sighed and they both went to Crono's to borrow the Epoch.

"Lucca! What a nice surprise! And who might you be?" Crono's mom asked. Magus didn't answer. 

"Um, is Crono home?" Lucca asked. Crono's mom shook her head.

"He went to Guardia castle to have dinner with Marle. He'll be back in a few hours, if you'd like to wait." 

"No, we'll just go up there ourselves. Thank you." Lucca and Magus began to walk to Guardia castle. 

"Lucca…" Magus said. Lucca stopped walking and turned. 

"I don't think I can go in there with you." Lucca looked quizzical, but then she knew what he meant.

"You're right. I don't think we need a ruckus. You'd better wait outside or in the forest." Lucca suggested. Magus suddenly flew up to the top of the castle and hovered there. "Or, I suppose that could work too."

Lucca knocked on the castle door. Two soldiers appeared.

"Hi. I need to see Marle and Crono." Lucca said. The soldiers moved aside and pointed in the direction of the throne room. Even from the entrance way a great clamor of talking and silverware clinking could be heard.

"Crono! Marle!" Lucca cried. The two stood up. The three friends ran out the castle and down the front stairs. Crono and Marle almost died of shock when Magus appeared in front of them.

"Magus! I thought you were in 12000…" Marle said. Magus waved his hand to hush her.

"We need the Epoch so we can revive Vortex." Magus hissed. Crono stepped forward.

"It's in the woods over there. We'll go too." he said. Magus shook his head. 

"No. I'll explain later, just cooperate for now." Magus and Lucca began to run to the woods where the cathedral in 600 AD was. Magus discovered the Epoch under twigs, bark, and leaves. He and Lucca jumped in.

"Forward." Magus whispered, setting the machine for 12000 BC. The Epoch rose and flew around the planet twice to activate the time jump.

The Epoch slowed and landed by the Last Village Commons. Magus jumped out and Lucca followed. 

"Both the Black Omen and Blackbird are at the bottom of the ocean! How are we going to get to them?" Lucca asked. Magus rose up the Tiger Eye and made the voice sing again. 

" 'I won't lose to everyday _reality_!'" Lucca quoted. "Somehow we need to activate this mechanism outside of this reality. Do you know of any spells or chants we can use?" Lucca turned to Magus.

"One. But I've never used it. I really can't remember the entire enchantment, but that's not the problem. The problem is there's a chance we'd never survive." Magus muttered. 

"What do you mean?" Lucca asked. Magus looked down at the snowy ground.

"If we used the spell, we'd become something like immortals. We could breathe underwater, become extremely powerful. But…what's happening to your Star Ruby?" Magus pointed. The ruby had begun to glow with a blinding light.

"What's going on?" Lucca asked, squinting. The hologram of Vortex appeared again.

"I set this stone to activate when you'd reached this point in bringing me back to life. The power of the gems is extraordinary. Reality will be disoriented. Now I will have the Star Ruby play another musical clue:

"Chippoke na jibun wo mitsukeru koto dekiru nara, kitsutsuku koto mo naku asu mo kowakunai…" The stone sang. Lucca translated the musical score in her mind.

"If I can search out my tiny self so far below, then even getting hurt, or what will come tomorrow won't scare me…" Lucca snapped her fingers. "The air! We have to fly in the air!" 

Magus and Lucca headed back to the Epoch and flew upward. Up, up, up they flew until…

"Look!" Magus yelled. The Blackbird and the Black Omen were hovering above the clouds. It was eerie. The two supposedly destroyed structures were completely rebuilt and floating a good thirty-thousand feet above the ground.

"I'll go in the Black Omen, you take the Blackbird." Magus jumped out of the Epoch and flew towards the top of the Black Omen. Lucca then docked the Epoch next the hull opening of the Blackbird.

"Tiger Eye, show me what to do!" Magus lifted up the gem. He was on the very top of the Black Omen. A bright light shone out the stone. The light beam headed for the Blackbird.

"Oh, this dumb Star Ruby! What am I supposed to do?" Lucca asked. She was sitting on the right wing of the abandoned Zealen plane. Then a red beam shot out of the ruby and head towards the Black Omen. 

The two beams headed straight for each other. Halfway between both of the structures, the beams collided. A mass of energy appeared. The beams disappeared. Then an immense gravity well began to pull the Black Omen and the Blackbird into it. 

"Yah!" Lucca jumped off the wing and into the Epoch and took off about a mile away from the energy mass. Seconds later Magus jumped into the Epoch.

"I think we're done…that should be it…" Magus whispered. The gravity well had swallowed the Black Omen and Blackbird. Now an icy blue mist was wafting where the well used to be.

"Yes, she's back." Lucca said with a small smile, glancing at the ice blue vapor. 

Vortex appeared, flying out of the mist. She landed on the hull of the Epoch.

"Hah! I'm back alive!" Then Vortex looked at Magus and Lucca puzzled. "Why'd you bring me back? I would've thought…your past confrontations with aliens…" 

"Never mind that! Come back with us! I'm sure everyone will be glad to see you…wait, was that you singing from the stones?" Lucca asked.

Vortex grinned wryly. "I couldn't make it too easy for you guys. Had to give you…something…to…" Vortex broke off. She was staring hard and Magus.

"Have I been gone that long that you've all grown that stronger?!" Vortex cried. She gripped her medallion and was gone. Lucca punched a few numbers into the control panel.

"I've got a lock…she went to 600 AD! I'll set the Epoch for…" 

"1000 AD. Leave her. I have the feeling she won't be gone that long, I bet she's gone to train. Now…go!" Magus said. Lucca set the Epoch and they flashed through time.

"No…no! They can't be THAT strong! Magus could beat me!!! No…I must become stronger!" Vortex yelled. She cast a giant opaque bubble around herself. "Gravity within this dome! Fifty times normal!" 

The gravity within the black dome changed. Vortex fell down, but supported her weight on her hands. She began to do push-ups. The gravity ripped at her cape, tearing it from end to end.

"Argh!" Vortex tore off the purple cape and her blood red headband. She also took off her icy eye medallion. "Now!"

After about an hour of push-ups, Vortex rose up and was in air doing push-ups. Her hands were pushing her entire body into the air. 

"You revived Vortex?" Marle asked excitedly. Lucca nodded happily.

"How?" Crono asked. "Without a Chrono Trigger…" Lucca held up her Star Ruby.

"There were clues in these stones. We went to 12000 BC and activated it. Vortex left for 600 AD." Lucca said.

"If she doesn't watch the intensity, she'll kill herself." Magus stated. Marle bit her lip nervously.

"Yaah!" Vortex fell to the ground. Her body was bruised and beaten. She had been training for a month. Now the gravity bubble was set for three hundred and fifty times normal gravity.

"I've been doing fine until now…what's the matter with me!?" Vortex slammed the ground with her fist. Blood was dripping from her head and hands, coursing down her body. 

"I'm still so weak! Magus's power has increased practically a thousand fold!" Vortex gripped the medallion that was strewn on the ground. "Gravity…four hundred times normal!" The pull strengthened, and Vortex slowly climbed up to her feet.

"Got to keep going…" Vortex continued to work. To train. To torture the very cells in her body from the strain. She thrust her hands to the ground. Neither of her gloves was whole. Pieces were scattered about the ground, mostly the pieces from around the knuckles part. Vortex had been punching things left and right in anguish.

Within hours Vortex was jumping around freely in the intense gravity as if it was nothing. "Dome! Clear!" The dome became clear and Vortex, sweating and bleeding, looked out into the forest. She had been here all the while and yet it did not seem like it. 

The ground around her was complete rock. The grass and dirt had been torn away by the gravity. Vortex grabbed the medallion off the ground and looked about. Her cape was in shreds in a corner of the dome. Her bandana was nothing but a group of strips of fabric.

Vortex turned her head to the sky. It was gold and pink. "Nearly dawn. Like time has mattered to me this month. When I return, we'll see who's weaker!!!" 

"DOME!! Five hundred times normal gravity!" Vortex jumped as the gravity increased. She had never increased the gravity by one hundred. By fifty, maybe, but twice that? No, never.

Vortex turned her head towards the rock floor. She flashed and dropped to the ground. She slammed her fists into the rock. Not even a crack appeared. 

"Argh!" Vortex gathered her strength and began to chant a spell she had never used before. One wrong word and she would be dead, for the power behind this sorcery was great.

"Yami yo…ame yo…ima, oshiete. Tsuki yo…kaze yo…ima, kotaete. Tooku…tooku…haruka tooku. Tabi no hate ni, nani ga aruno." Vortex spoke in Japanese. She had never learned the language, and yet it was so clear in her mind.

"Darkness…rain…now, tell me. Moon…wind…now, answer me. Far…far…in the distance far away. At the end of the journey, what will there be?" Vortex repeated the chant in English. She was transported through time, leaving her dome, medallion, and training behind her.

Magus was sitting on the peak of the mountain that inside held Heckran Cave. This was the exact spot where his castle used to be. Then, he felt a power signature by Medina. A time Gate opened and Vortex fell out. Magus began to fly towards the Mystic village.

Vortex fell out of the Gate. Even though she was so weak she could barely move, the warrior felt lighter than air. She had been in five hundred times normal gravity, and now she was back in normal gravity. A concerned Blue Imp walked over to Vortex. He probably suspected she was a Mystic because of her pointed ears.

"Are you alright?" he asked. Vortex lifted her head and stared at him. She closed her right eye when a trickle of blood ran down across the eyelid. 

"Yeah, I'm fine…just give me a minute…" Vortex strained to get up, then collapsed. "Actually, I am kinda weak…been training in…five hundred times normal gravity. It takes a lot out of you…" Vortex's body slumped down and she lost consciousness.

"Vortex!" Magus yelled. He landed next to her. The Blue Imp jumped back in surprise. There was no one else around but him, the girl, and…

"Magus? What in the world are you doing here?" The Blue Imp stammered. Magus turned his head towards the imp and looked viciously at the small Mystic.

"One word of this…and I'll kill you." Magus said. He took off carrying Vortex. The imp walked back to his house, but never breathed a word of Magus.

"Five hundred times gravity? I'm amazed you're still alive." Magus muttered as he and Vortex flew towards Truce and Crono's house. He landed and walked right through the door. Lucca, Crono, and Marle were sitting at the table.

"Magus!" Marle cried, standing up. Magus set Vortex in a chair while the three questioned him.

"What happened to her?" Crono asked, concerned. Magus shook his head.

"She was some how training in five hundred times normal gravity. Look at her. You can see the strain in her face. Marle, quick, use Cure." Magus commanded. Marle shot the healing yellow sparks toward Vortex. The fresh blood on her body dried and her wounds closed.

Vortex's eyes opened. She stared up at Marle, Lucca, Crono, and Magus. "What am I doing here?" she asked, standing up.

Before anyone could answer, Vortex stared hard into each of the four's faces. Her eyes widened. "No! No! After all that…argh!" Vortex reached her arms out and was gone.

"No! They are still so strong! And Magus…his power is indescribable!" Vortex went back to the woods and entered the now clear dome. 

"Dome! SIX HUNDRED TIMES NORMAL GRAVITY!" Vortex dropped to ground, dug a stone from the granite ground and threw it into the air. She smashed it with her fist.

Vortex tied her hair back with the shreds of her bandana and threw up bigger rocks. She smashed them all until her gloves were just shreds hanging from her arms and hands. Finally, after many hours of this intense training, she moved the level up to eight hundred. 

"Can't give up…I won't be…beaten…by these…weaklings!" Vortex gasped. Most of her clothes were just rags. Trickles of blood ran down from her forehead and a tiny stream flowed from her mouth. Vortex healed a large cut that was from her right shoulder to hand. 

Vortex looked up through the bubble. It was nighttime. She grinned. "Wonder how I can survive this? Oh well. We'll leave that question for later. I can't stop now…" Vortex lifted a boulder in front of her. She began to slam it with her nearly bare fists.

Glenn walked through the forest. Then he heard a great booming noise. He ran to see what it was. 

That's when the dome came into view. Glenn dodged behind a rock and looked through the dome. He saw Vortex there, slamming her fists into a giant rock. He saw the blood coursing down her body, and the rags of her clothes.

"Lady Vortex…what hath happened to thee…and why art thou alive?" Glenn whispered. He saw Vortex stop punching the rock and turn around right towards him. Glenn walked towards her.

"Glenn the frog! What are you doing here?" Vortex shouted. Glenn continued to walk, and was just about to enter the dome.

"No! Stop, unless you want to die!" Vortex yelled.

"Why? Thou wouldst destroy me merely for intruding upon thee?" Glenn said, offended. Vortex laughed and shook her head. Drops of blood fell from her face.

"No…the gravity within this dome is eight hundred times greater than normal. If you put your foot in here, you'd have it crushed off. I was just about to turn it to nine hundred." Vortex then waved her hand, which made Glenn stop as he was about to ask how she could survive such extremes.

"Leave now! I've much training to do!" Vortex turned back and jump kicked the rock. Glenn left the warrior to train.

Vortex fell to the ground. The gravity pulled at her body. Her own blood covered almost every part of her body. The gravity was at one thousand two hundred times normal.

"I think…I think…that's it for now. Vortex staggered to get up and she put back on what was left of her cape and released the shreds of her headband from her hair and tied it around her head. Then she slipped her undamaged medallion over her head and around her neck.

"Dome! Disappear!" Vortex said. The dome appeared and Vortex fell. Then she began to laugh.

"Oh…Oh! I fell lighter than air!" Vortex laughed. She slowly stood up and began to limp towards Porre. 

Magus silently jumped into the Epoch. Her set the coordinates for 600 AD. The time machine lifted off the ground, and jumped into the fabric of time.

The machine landed in the middle of Porre town. Magus drew a hood over his head. He didn't want people raving about him and the Mystics. He walked into the Café. 

"Did you see that odd girl that came through here?" the Café owner asked a customer. Magus turned his head and listened.

"Yeah, she looked like a Mystic, but I know she wasn't." the customer replied.

"Why? She was dressed like one." The owner asked. 

"She didn't have any magical powers, otherwise she would've healed herself. It looked like she took quite a beating."

"Yeah."

"Where did she go?" Magus asked, keeping his voice low. The customer and the owner looked at him.

"Don't I know you?" the owner asked.

"I don't think so, but where did this girl go?" Magus asked testily. 

"Think she was headed for Truce." 

Magus left the Café and once clear out of the town, he took off into the air. He was just flying over Zenan Bridge when he saw it. 

"What in the world…" Magus dove down and landed on the bridge. There, Vortex was standing with the wind ruffling her hair. Her clothes had been reduced to rags but she looked healthy enough, save the dried blood on her face.

Vortex turned around and smiled. Her medallion was gone and her third eye had appeared. 

"I was expecting you Magus. Look who's stronger now, huh?" Vortex said. "I wanted you here went I reverted to my true form."

"What do you mean, _true form_?" Magus asked.

"I'm an alien, right? I discovered than this human body is simply a shell for my true form. But I like this shell just the same." Vortex lifted her hands skyward. 

"Tori yo…kumo yo…ima, oshiete. Nami yo…kage yo…ima, kotaete. Tooku…tooku…haruka tooku." Vortex chanted. She began to glow with a white light. It enveloped her, and burst into what seemed like a supernova. 

"_Nakabuto_ race! Give me the power to return to my true form!" Vortex roared. A flash blinded Magus.

Vortex stood, her new form glistening. The whites of her eyes were completely icy blue, and there were no pupils. Her skin was constantly changing colors. Vortex's hair was exactly the same only the color had turned a gleaming silver. She wore a black sweat-suit over her color-changing body and white boots and gloves.

"This is what those of the _Nakabuto_ look like. I'm not going to stay in this form, my power is practically one million fold in the human shell." Vortex rose her hands up. "REVERT!" she yelled. She was suddenly back in her human form, and, oddly enough, her clothes were restored.

"But…what are you going to do with your life? Train? For what?" Magus asked. Vortex glared darkly at the blue sky.

"I train for one reason. One day I will leave this earth to destroy all the members of Lavos's species in the universe. I have to defeat full-power adults and thousands upon thousands of spawns." Vortex sighed. "It will be a long, tedious task."

"You only have roughly twenty years of your life in which you can fight! How do you expect to destroy ALL the Lavoses in the universe!?" Magus asked.

"The _Nakabuto _live for thousands of years before dying. That's enough time to destroy that many and more. I doubt any other planet has ever defeated a Lavos." Vortex wondered how she would ever defeat them, no matter how powerful she was. Then, a brilliant idea came to her.

Vortex turned to face Magus. "If you'd come, I could give you the life span of a _Nakabuto_! You could help me destroy all Lavoses! I know Lavos destroyed your life! Do you want that to happen to anyone else?" Vortex asked. 

"No. I will go with you." Magus replied. Then he raised his head. "But I posses no power like yours. How will I be of assistance?"

"Once you have the life span of a _Nakabuto_, you can resist ultimate gravity like me. You have to start with fifty times. I am at one thousand two hundred." Vortex raised her arms skyward and threw an immense ball of energy at Magus. Out of reflex he defended, but it covered him.

"Now…come! The sooner we finish training, the sooner the universe is safe!" Vortex looked somewhat happily at Magus. The two walked towards the Cursed Woods were Vortex had been training. She created a bubble and so did Magus. 

"Gravity two thousand!" Vortex yelled. She massaged her shoulders and kicked at the ground. The gravity level rose by almost seven hundred. Then Vortex heard a strained telepathic message.

**Vortex…It's me, Magus. I'm training at five hundred times gravity right now. And you? **Magus asked Vortex. His telepathic voice was sounded very weak, and was wavering.

Vortex laughed mentally to the mage. **I just turned it up to two thousand. I think each of us should be able to take anywhere from three to five thousand when we leave. No telling what kind of planets we'll go to. **

Vortex could tell that Magus was aghast. She broke the link and continued to train. She was muttering to herself, though.

"I am the yami. I live and glory in the kage." Vortex murmured. Yami meant darkness and kage meant shadows. She launched into the ground suddenly and threw up hundreds of rocks. Vortex widened the dome and, with her mind, sent the rocks hurtling down.

"YAAAAAHHHH!" Vortex yelled. She shot balls of icy energy at the makeshift rock-storm. One of the rocks hit her in the stomach and the sorceress fell. 

"Aaah…………ARGH!" Vortex sprang up from under the rock and blasted it to rubble. And it was then that Vortex first realized she was bleeding. Her clenched fists were dripping blood over the smashed rock. 

Just then a rock his Vortex in the back. She destroyed the rock and halted the makeshift meteors. She continued to look over her injuries.

_Let's see. _Vortex thought. _Blood from my arms, mouth, legs, and face. _Vortex raised her arms and hands up and brought them down quickly. She washed a wave of black energy over herself. The blood dried and the injuries disappeared.

**Vortex. One…thousand gravity. Can't continue much longer. Come…heal…** Magus gasped. Vortex scowled. She warped from her dome to Magus's.

Magus was in a worse state than Vortex had been. He was unconscious with a massive head wound. Blood was pouring from the wound in the middle of his forehead. Vortex healed him and immediately left.

"Weakling." Vortex mumbled. She pulled up a gigantic rock out of the soil-less ground and pummeled it with her bare fists. Her glove shreds were completely gone. 

"I can't see how he can only be at one thousand now. I bet one good spell could finish him off. Maybe it was a mistake giving him _Nakabuto _power, he's not making very good use of it." Vortex pounded the ground in confusion. "What I am supposed to do?"

Vortex sighed and looked up at the twilight sky. She sighed. "I'm coming apart here. I'm lucid and yet muddled." Vortex blasted energy out of the dome and a nearby tree burst into flames. 

Vortex then stood up and warped to Glenn's home. She jumped inside the hole. The frog jumped from the ceiling but Vortex out of reflex used physic power to send him slamming into a wall.

"Vortex!" Glenn called in surprised, rubbing his head. Vortex looked at him then crossed her arms.

"It's Magus." Vortex said simply as Glenn climbed to his feet. "I gave him the power of my race and now he'll live to the Day of Lavos and beyond." Vortex gave a sideways smile to Glenn, who look enraged at the fact Magus wouldn't die before him.

"I best be getting back now, just thought I'd bring a ray of sunshine to your day frog!" Vortex snapped her fingers and was gone.

It had been nearly a month since Vortex had went to Glenn's home. She was training in six thousand times gravity. In this span of time she had not heard from Magus.

Vortex had turned towards Magus's opaque dome. Her dome was clear, and through it she could see the dawn sun shining bright. She had created another meteor shower and was oblivious to the rocks flying around.

"Wonder how he's doing." Vortex smirked slightly. "He could be dead for all I know." Vortex was reflecting on the amount of time she had been training, nearly a year, when a large boulder hit her in the back.

"Yaah!" Vortex yelled. She staggered under the blow. She could feel fresh blood coursing down her back. Vortex fell to her knees and gasped heavily.

"How…could I… have been…so…STUPID!!" Vortex slammed her fist into the ground. "I feel Magus's power plain as day! He is stronger than me now! I have training to near death and _still _am not more powerful than him!" Vortex snapped her head up quickly, making her length of blonde hair waver.

A chant came to Vortex. She suddenly knew what it meant to her. "This…this will bring out the full strength of my soul and of my _Nakabuto _form!!" Vortex stood up and replicated her clothes, making them look brand new.

Vortex raised her hands and gathered all her strength. "Hyouteki wo mezaseba koduo ga hayaku naru. Atsuku itaku setsunaku michi wa tsuzuku. Nabottari ochitari dakedo kujikenai de. SUBETE CHIKARA NI KAEYOU!" Vortex was enveloped in a black and purple light. 

The girl was transformed into her _Nakabuto _form. Her hair turned silver and the pupils in her eyes disappeared. Vortex's skin turned a glistening gold, then a deep blue. 

_Haha! _Vortex laughed in full _Nakabuto _voice. Her voice could only be in the mind, not with ears. _I am the strongest being to ever set foot on this rock and this grass, the strongest ever to breathe this air! _

Magus looked up. "Huh? Vortex's power! It overwhelms my senses…I cannot even get a straight reading on it!!" Magus dissolved his dome and shot straight for Vortex, whose dome had also disappeared.

Magus halted on the outskirts of the ruin. Vortex was standing there, back to him, her silver hair swaying in the wind. There was only rock for ground, as the grass and life had been destroyed.

Vortex had felt Magus's presence all the while. She turned her head slightly, clenching her hands within the gleaming white gloves. Suddenly she felt this overwhelming desire to battle the dark mage. To see his true power, and to see him tremble before her might. Vortex fought back this powerful urge and turned.

_So._ Vortex said. _You have come. And the reason might be? You are supposed to be training, you pathetic weakling!_ Vortex swung her foot and kicked a rock. It flew at a high velocity to Magus. The magician barely caught it before it collided with his head. Magus scowled and crushed the rock.

"What are you doing? I thought you were stronger in human form!" Magus exclaimed. Vortex smiled maliciously. 

_Yes, but that was before I discovered my true power. And now, I will remove the Nakabuto from you and we shall fight to the death! _Vortex outstretched her arms and spread her hands apart. In her physic voice she spoke.

_Iiwake shite shoubu oriru no wa. _Vortex stated plain as day. In Magus's mind he heard the sentence translated.

" 'It's easy to make excuses and give up.'" Magus said. "Hey! I never made excuses OR gave up!"

Vortex laughed mentally. _Sure, you're right. You had every reason to become evil and give on your kingdom. Not that I have a problem with that, I'm just saying you're weak. _Vortex frowned grimly. She recited the chant which would yank the _Nakabuto _power of Magus.

_Kizutsuki kokoro ga kowasa o oboeteku. Setsunaki kokoro ga nanika ni motareteku. Yasashisa namida o shirazu ni katarenai. _Vortex chanted. Magus the felt the power that allowed him to survive extreme gravity being torn from his essence. Vortex was laughing shrilly in his mind as the extreme energy was ripped from his soul.

"You monster!" Magus roared. He stared with sweat and blood running down his face as the last of his power was absorbed into the alien creature. Vortex then fell to the ground onto her knees.

_YAAAHHHH!!_ Vortex screamed in a tremendous physic voice. She was shaking and spasms jolted her alien body every other second. Vortex whispered something, just audible by Magus.

_Yume wo akiramenai kyou ni makenai._ Vortex looked at her gloved hands. The white gloves disappeared and her hair turned to blonde coloring. The pupils returned to her eyes and the rest of her 'shell' returned in a burst of dark energy.

Magus leaned against a tree, unsure of what to do. Vortex pushed herself up then fell. She grinned a painful smile.

"Kokoro nante sugu ni kizutsuku shi." Vortex then stood up, and seemed totally healed. Magus pushed away from the tree and discovered he was fully restored.

Vortex had a terrible burning in her eyes. Magus had the feeling that he knew what she would do now. 

"To…the…DEATH!" Vortex roared. She bounded forward and punched Magus. The sudden attack surprised him and he flew back into a rock. Vortex stood straight up, clenching her right fist, itching to strike again.

Magus stood up and rubbed his head. He looked at his glove. It was covered in blood. He stood up and cast Dark Matter. Vortex jumped out of the way and was racing towards him.

"DEADLY CRYSTAL BARRAGE!" Vortex yelled. Hundreds of small black crystals shot from a dark energy well. Vortex watched as Magus dodged the spears, but one caught him in the left leg.

"Argh!" Magus gasped, dropping to his knees. He raised a hand and shot Dark Mist at Vortex. The attack took her by surprise and she was blasted into a tree.

"You fool!" Vortex shouted. She whipped a trickle of blood from her mouth and jumped at Magus.

Magus quickly cast Magic Wall on himself and moved out of the way. Vortex shot straight through the rock, then darted up, over, and directly at Magus. 

"No!" Magus didn't have enough time to prepare a spell, so he just shot a small ball of black energy at the oncoming warrior. As the ball flew the air, it enlarged greatly and Vortex bore the full brunt, although Magus was blown back.

Vortex jumped up with a shriek of rage and charged at the failing mage with hatred burning in her eyes. Magus's magic power was wearing down and Vortex showed no sign of stress.

"KAGE AME!" Vortex roared. A large mass of black energy swooped down on Magus and drenched him with dark rain. It sapped his powers nearly dry and then, as it was dissolving, opened wounds all over his body.

Vortex halted in midair and smirked at the writhing Magus. "My Shadow's Rain really did a number on you, didn't it? Well, there's more where that came from!" Vortex flew up over the tops of the trees and brought her hands together.

"ULTIMATE…" Then she looked west. A flying machine was headed point-blank at them. The Epoch! And looking down at the ground outside the forest she saw Robo, Glenn, and Ayla rushing into the trees quickly. 

"NO! THOSE FOOLS!" Vortex brought her hands up in a guard motion then clenched her fists in front of herself. Her hair flashed straight up as she charged all her powers. Then she blasted down at Magus.

Magus was staggering, trying hurriedly to heal himself. Vortex appeared three feet in front of him. Seconds later all six of his allies came from various directions. Vortex's pupils vanished for a second and she whirled around in rage.

"Do you come so willingly to your own death?!" Vortex shrieked. The six performed their most powerful attacks…on Magus. 

"AAAH!" Magus cried. But the attacks did not wound him. Instead, he felt all their magnificent power being absorbed into himself. He felt the surge from Crono, the cold from Marle and Glenn, the heat from Lucca, the strength from Ayla, and the similar shadow power from Robo. 

"I really don't want to kill you, but the madness festering in your soul demands it!" Magus yelled. He had now fully absorbed the power from his allies. Vortex smiled.

"Fool. You believe it will be that easy? Hah! I have been holding back. You have no chance to win." Vortex raised her arms up skyward. She called upon all her powers, hidden and broad, alien and human, to her. The unfathomable energies surrounded her and she drew them in.

Vortex, now teeming with power, shot a half glance over her shoulder. "A less crowded place would do better." She said. Suddenly Magus and herself were on a plain with rocks, trees, and a gentle breeze. The land seemed to drop suddenly.

Magus looked around confusedly. Then it dawned on him. "This can only be…ZEAL!" Yes, yes it must be! The palace was there, Kajar, and Enhasa in the distance.

"Now, let's see if you'll destroy your homeland, your people, and most importantly…" Vortex snapped her fingers. A long glass casket appeared in the middle of them. Inside was Schala.

"Schala!" Magus cried. He ran towards the glass casket, absorbing the frightened and confused look on his dear sister's face, trying to set her free. A wave energy flung him back. Vortex waved her finger in the air.

"If you defeat me, you can have your sister." Vortex smiled. Magus couldn't help but feel there was more to her smile than she allowed to be shown. That was of minor importance. Now he must…

"ATTACK!" Magus ran forward and swung his Doom Sickle in a mighty arch. Vortex jumped back casually. She raised a hand and shot a purple ball of energy at Magus.

"I'll kill you yet!" Magus roared, his rage burning in his eyes. Vortex closed her eyes and laughed. A deadly mistake.

Vortex staggered back. She wiped her gloves across her face. Blood! The red liquid gleamed brilliantly on the black glove. Vortex let it dribble down in the palm of her hand before clenching her fist tightly.

"My body dares to toss out its blood for this weakling?!" Vortex whispered, flicking the blood away. Vortex stared into Magus's eyes. A flame of rage ignited. 

"Never!" Vortex charged forward and punched Magus in the stomach. He doubled up wheezing. Vortex watched as he flailed his Sickle madly. The tip of the blade skimmed her deep blue tunic. Vortex calmly traced the opening.

"So…weapons is it? Well, don't think I'm behind on that." Vortex clasped her hands together and when she brought them apart, a ridged whip was spinning in the gap between her hands. Vortex grabbed it and brandished it at Magus. The mage recoiled.

"This is _my _weapon. Its name is the Striker. Made of dragon hide and teeth, with a bit of sharp metal mesh." Vortex stated. She cracked the whip and leaped at Magus.

Magus rolled to the side and stopped the Striker with his Sickle. The whip wrapped around the scythe and Vortex pulled. The scythe flew from Magus's grip.

"I have you now!" Vortex threw the whip aside and blasted a beam of icy energy. The beam was rapidly flying toward Magus, who clenched his teeth in pure rage.

"Not quite." Magus disappeared. Vortex looked around. Magus materialized behind her and struck her in the back.

"Argh!" Vortex fell to her knees. Seconds later she jumped up and leaped up the mountain on Zeal to the top of the palace. Magus followed quickly.

"This is for my sister!" Magus threw a Dark Bomb at Vortex. She sprung aside of the blast. Instead of hitting the intended target, the bomb connected with the palace, blowing it apart.

"Nooooo!" Magus cried. He darted around to avoid the debris. And where the magnificent palace had been moments before there was a crater. A great, black, smoldering crater. 

"Idiot, you have destroyed your past self! Within minutes you shall die!" Vortex laughed wildly into the wind generated from the explosion.

"If my fate is to destroyed, then now I have nothing to lose! Fear my true power!" Magus called all the dark energies within him he had been afraid to use for fear of death. But if he was going to die, then why not go all the way?

"You shall die, evil alien!" Magus shot blast after blast of dark power towards Vortex. The girl dodged them all but the effort left her slightly gasping. Magus knew she was wearing down. 

"You…think that I'm…through!?" Vortex yelled. She too called all the energy within. She used it as a speed boost and then concentrated it into one gigantic blast. Magus did the same.

Even though Zeal was crumbling with the might of the two combatants, and the fact that Magus had forgotten about Schala, the deadlocked opponents didn't back down. 

All of Zeal was gone now, and Magus and Vortex were the only things above the great sea of clouds. Vortex seemed under tremendous strain, the same as Magus. Death was pending upon them, and both knew it, this would be the final showdown.

"I summon the powers which have placed me here on this planet, at this time, in this universe!! Use my powers, concentrate them into a energy like this world has never known!" Vortex roared. She powered up and with eyes blazing anger and hatred she stared down at Magus.

"I WILL NOT LOSE TODAY!" Magus yelled. He held his arms outward, then he brought then to his side to power himself up. 

The two deadly forces where battling for their fates and the fates of every living thing in the history of the world. Magus was calling all the powers, spells, and chants he had ever heard of in his life while Vortex was summoning her raw alien power. 

Magus lifted his head glared darkly at the alien girl who was not so different from himself. Still, it was too late. After this last attack he would have no strength left. He was gambling everything on this one shot. Would it succeed?

Vortex stared down at Magus. She knew he wouldn't have any power after this next attack. She knew that she had power to spare, but even with her opponent drained, would his tremendous hidden strength defeat her?

Both had questions that would be answered after the final battle. 

Vortex brought her arms in front of her in a firing position. She blasted all the power she had at Magus. The fire of bloodlust burned brightly in her eyes. The energy surge from firing the energy was almost too much to bear. Almost…

Magus formed his last energies into a great ball and hurled it at the oncoming beam. Vortex and Magus both watched and summoned up what was left of their powers to create a defense for the aftermath of the blast.

The ball of Magus's energy and Vortex's energy-beam collided. A bright flash engulfed the area and blinded both of the combatants. Vortex whirled her head around. She saw Magus falling slowly towards the land below.

"NO!" Vortex howled. She grabbed for her medallion but discovered it was not there. She cried out in fury and dove after Magus. There was only one way she could catch him and teleport out of there!

"Moeru honoo e to kazashita ame!" Vortex roared. She grabbed Magus as a wave of white energy engulfed her.

Crono watched Vortex and Magus apprehensively. They hadn't moved for almost and hour, but he had seen their expressions change and energy levels drop and rise. Suddenly Vortex and Magus opened their eyes at the same time.

"What the…where's Zeal?" Magus asked suddenly. He stared at his six allies, and then at Vortex. Her right eye was closed and she was breathing in heaving, ragged breaths. Suddenly blood and wounds appeared on her body. Magus looked down at himself and saw slashes on him too.

"What happened? You didn't move for nearly an hour!" Marle cried, throwing a Cure spell at Magus. The yellow sparkles were inches away from him when…

"NO!" Vortex jumped and pushed Magus out the way. And when it seemed like the healing spell was going to hit her, she raised a hand slightly and the sparkles disappeared. 

"I transported us mentally to Zeal. Our bodies were left here, and…ah…" Vortex grabbed her right arm, which had started to gush blood. "we fought there. We must finish the fight, please do not intervene." Vortex turned her head to Magus.

"Where do you want to finish the fight? Just say anywhere, I can transport us there." Vortex clenched her fist.

Magus considered this. Where would he have a great advantage…his castle! He knew every hall and door, if they were in a replica of his castle…

"My castle. Take us there in your mind." Magus replied solemnly. Vortex raised her arms up and outstretched her hands. The world around them vanished.

Magus glanced around. They were in the room in which he had fought Crono, Robo, and Glenn. He smirked inwardly. Then he looked for Vortex. She wasn't around, not even in the near vicinity. Magus held his Doom Sickle at the ready and walked up the steps to the main part of the castle.

Vortex smiled. She floated feet behind Magus who flinched at every sound. Vortex used her illusion power to generate figures who looked like the real Ozzie, Slash, and Flea. Magus flipped back. 

Magus shot Dark Mist at them, and Vortex appeared when the spell was inches away from the illusions. She smiled and the magic disappeared.

"Vortex!" Magus laid down his Sickle, and raced forward preparing a spell while he ran.

Vortex smirked and back-flipped away from him. Magus channeled black magic into his fist, so if he punched Vortex she would receive the full blast of a Dark Matter.

"Yaah…argh!" Magus propelled his arm forward. At this speed, the alien would have no chance to dodge! But, she was already gone.

Magus channeled the dark energy into his leg. He kicked back directly behind him.

Vortex flew into a suit of armor. The energy ball she had been preparing burst through the wall. The girl magician touched a gash in her back and the wound closed. 

"Cheap shot." Vortex murmured. She smirked. Just then Vortex spied dust on the floor and she closed her fist around it.

Magus was standing straight up, gasping slightly. "Ready to continue?" He asked. The Shadow magic deep within him surrounded his body. The energy was welling up, screaming to be used.

Vortex smirked. "Yes!" she cried. Dashing forward she threw the clump of dust into Magus's eyes. Magus shrieked in slight pain and rubbed his eyes quickly. Then he blinked and rubbed them again.

"FOOL!!" Vortex roared. She clasped her hands together and brought them down onto Magus's head. The mage fell to the floor of his castle. Vortex landed on the floor about five feet away from the fallen and blinded Magus.

"You thought you'd have an advantage here? Bah! Now I will pick the battle grounds!!" Vortex whirled her hand around and Magus and Vortex were transported to another image of a place.

Magus stood up. It seemed that when they teleported, all the magic and energy he lost was renewed. He blinked and rubbed the still present dust from his eyes.

"Still blinded, great wizard?" A mocking voice asked. It was Vortex. She was standing on a giant rock pillar some ways a way. Magus looked around. He was on a grass plain which ended suddenly then a dark, and seemingly bottomless, abyss opened up. A few rock pillars stretched up from the dark hole.

"If this is where your final resting place is, so be it!" Magus called in a loud, would-be confident voice. Vortex leaped forward and punched Magus in left side of his face. 

"Argh!" Magus flew into a gigantic boulder and felt blood running from his mouth and head. He flipped up and kicked Vortex. She flew backwards and Magus quickly caught up with her. 

The two ultimate powers grappled in a giant energy well. Magus slammed his fist into Vortex's shoulder, and she wrenched back. Then, very quickly, Vortex brought her legs together and slammed her feet into Magus's chin.

Magus regained control of his flying abilities and brought his elbow into Vortex's stomach. She was slammed into the ground by pure force. Magus landed a little bit away from Vortex. He stared intently into the clearing dust.

Vortex stood there, clearly enraged but not frustrated. She simply raised her fist into the air and was surrounded by her own energy. She leaped forward and pummeled Magus with sonic speed.

The sudden power surge threw both opponents in opposite directions. Vortex caught her balance before she fell into the abyss and Magus rolled across the grass. 

There was no need to speak, no need to yell out threats and taunts. Both knew that only one would leave, and neither was sure who it would be. There was only one way to find out.

Vortex skimmed across the grass and picked Magus up. She flew high into air and dropped him. Magus swiveled around seconds before he hit the ground. He blasted up into the air and threw a punch at Vortex.

_No more hiding your true power… _Vortex thought as she dodged Magus's attacks. _I have no more reserves. When I run out of energy this time, that's it. Only one of us is leaving, and I can't tell who it'll be. _Vortex flew under a kick placed by Magus.

The female mage threw punches and kicked out in a fury of movements. Magus fell back, almost tumbling into the abyss.

Magus valiantly blasted a dark beam of energy at Vortex. She disappeared and suddenly was behind him. She rammed her elbow into Magus's back. He fell forward onto his knees.

Gasping in pain, Magus looked up at the sordid Vortex. He expected her to throw a taunt at him, but she just stood there, silent. She was waiting for him to get back up.

Vortex then flew back up into the air. Magus followed. He flashed around, and saw his chance. He rammed Vortex, and she crashed into the ground. He raced after her, and slammed into the ground.

The girl had jumped away, though. Magus scanned the land and air for her. He gently floated around, snapping his head around. Then from behind the attack came. 

A thin purple beam erupted from one cloud. Vortex had her hands spread out and her hair blown straight up from the immense energy. Magus kicked jumped up and slammed the beam away into the air, into space. 

Magus leapt up to the air. Vortex suddenly shot a black sphere at Magus. The mage dodged and fired a thin red beam at Vortex.

The beam tore a hole in Vortex's cape. She ripped off her cape and headband. She whirled around and kicked Magus in the jaw. This blow would have been very crushing, but Magus didn't have a glass jaw.

Vortex and Magus floated so near to each other it seemed like the energies now surrounding them, Vortex's was blue and Magus's was black, was one. Vortex drew up her fists and charged her power. Magus stretched out his arms and spheres of dark energy surrounded his hands. 

Vortex threw a beam at Magus and Magus shot a ball at Vortex. Each of them received a glancing blow. Vortex threw a slender but sharp crystal at Magus. The crystal passed clear through Magus's left arm.

"Yaah!" Magus cried. Ripping off a bit of his cape, he bandaged the wound which slowed the bleeding. Magus shot a tiny row of diamond-lined beams at Vortex. One beam shot through her right leg. 

Vortex winced. She muttered a few words and the wound closed. Then, while she was tending her wound, Magus launched all of his power at Vortex. It was a cheap shot, sure, but he knew the battle couldn't go on. At that rate they would never finish.

Vortex fell to the ground with a thud. She was bleeding was many places all over her body, and was near death. Seeing now what pain she must be in, Magus regretted doing this. That was the first regret he had fell in a long time. 

"I…was expecting…you…to win." Vortex gasped. A spasm ran through her body every few seconds. She winced and glanced up at Magus. He had a grim look on his face.

"I don't understand. You…you knew you weren't going to win?" Vortex nodded slightly. Blood began to trickle from her mouth. "Then why didn't you leave, why didn't you send us back to reality?"

Vortex sighed. "My death will mean so much more to me if it is in here. I will set…" Another spasm made Vortex twitch wildly for a few moments. "you free though. I am now off to see what lies beyond this place and time. Perhaps, if the legends of the afterlife are true, I might see you once again. _Nakabuto…_" Vortex opened both her eyes. 

"Magus…do not forget me…or our mighty battle. I think it was one of my greatest challenges, I renewed…your strength but not my own. Be wary. My race is out…for vengeance for Storm." Vortex dropped her arms. She clenched her teeth and writhed in pain.

Magus didn't blink. He knew that if his eyelids closed, he would shed tears for the first time in years. Then, Vortex sang for the last few moments of her life. The words were translated in Magus's mind.

"Kagakitsuzuketai…Motto, motto kagirinai yume, daite. Tsuyosa wa subete o tsutsumikonda toride. Yasashisa namida o shirazu ni katarenai." Vortex sang. She sang softer and softer.

'I want to continue shining, embracing an unlimited dream stronger and stronger. Strength is a fortress that binds everything together. Gentleness cannot be spoken without knowing the tears.' Magus heard the words Vortex sang. He understood what she was saying. She was describing her life, soul, and being.

"Goodbye, Vortex." Magus was about to ask something else to the dying mage, but she answered it for him.

"No. This time I cannot return. Keep the Tiger's Eye. Remember me…" Vortex blinked and the painful looked on her face became serene. Magus blinked and salty hot tears began to run down his deathly pale face. Magus quickly whipped them away and held back his emotions. His eyes were red, still though. 

"Goodbye." Magus said. Then the world around him was vanishing quickly. He faded from the disappearing world. The abyss and the rock pillars were replaced by the forest by Glenn's home.

Magus looked around. The only there was Glenn. Obviously they had taken turns watching. Magus flipped around and saw Vortex's body fading away. Glenn jumped up.

"What happened? What happened to lady Vortex!?" Glenn cried, seeing her body vanishing. The other six suddenly appeared.

"She is dead and this time there is no way to bring her back." Magus looked away. The tears in his eyes were threatening to show. "We fought for a long time…and I defeated her by using the rest of my power." Magus then fell down, unconscious. 

"Let's get him to your house, Crono." They revived Magus and each went back to which ever time period they desired. Magus stayed in 1000 AD and found Vortex's icy eye medallion encrusted in dirt in a forest. He stared at it for a long time. Magus stared at the medallion all day and into the night, reflecting on the past events. A while later, he swore he could hear Vortex's voice in the wind…

_'Hitori ja nai, nakama sae ireba wakachiaeru tsuyosa ga aru kara…' _

Fin


	3. Nakabuto

__

Nakabuto

_Book Three of the Vortex Chronicles_

_A Chrono Trigger fanfic by Majin Magus_

Magus floated high above the earth. Cold air whipped against his cape and stung his face, but he paid it no mind. He was thinking about Vortex's honorable death. He clutched the icy medallion in his hand. Then he slipped the relic over her head and hid it deep inside his cape.

"What do I feel for this mage?" Magus said aloud. He flew down to the planet's surface. He landed and walked around Medina. Right now he didn't care what any of the Mystics would say.

A passing Blue Imp stopped and stared. Magus turned his head and locked eyes with the confused and terrified imp. Of course, the 1000 AD Mystics had heard of Magus's evil and ruthlessness. 

"Uh…I gotta go!" The imp cried. He ran into a house and Magus could hear him shouting. He took off into the air and hovered inside a cloud out of sight. Magus looked down and saw the imp leading out several skeptical Mystics. 

"I bet they think he's a liar. Well, I haven't given anyone a heart attack lately…" Magus flew down and landed in the middle of the bundle of Mystics.

"MAGUS!" one of the Mystic yelled. They all looked at him in awe. Magus raised his hand and flung a Dark Bomb into a tree.

Magus snorted as they all whispered about his power. He then took off and flew away. 

Crono and Marle were walking around Leene Square. It had a few merchants and people, but nothing near the occupants it had had during the Millennial Fair. 

"I hope another fair comes soon…" a young boy moaned while buying some candy from a merchant. Marle giggled but Crono looked skyward. Seconds later Magus came spiraling from the clouds. He landed next to Crono.

"Like to make an entrance, huh?" Marle asked cheerfully. Magus kept his somber look and Crono smiled. 

"So, um, we're having a little get together tonight…you know, Ayla, Robo, Glenn…" Magus showed no response to Glenn's name. Marle continued. "Would you like to come?" Magus again did not answer. Instead, he took off into the air again. 

Magus gripped in medallion in the air and tried with all his might to activate the time warp. He simply thought to the icy eye that he wished to go to 25,000,000 BC. In a flash the dark mage was gone.

Kino ran towards Ayla's hut. He gasped for air and Ayla waited patiently for him to catch his breath.

"Odd…man in…Dactyl Nest." Kino gasped. Ayla jumped.

"Odd man? What he look like?" Ayla questioned quickly. Kino shook his head.

"Not see. Kino only see for second, then he gone." Ayla didn't stop to respond. She dashed out of the hut and leaped onto the Dactyl. 

"NEST!" Ayla yelled. The Dactyl took off into the air and within minutes he had arrived at the nest. Ayla jumped off the Dactyl and ran into the trees.

Magus leaped down from the tree and reflexively blasted a Dark Bomb at Ayla. She nimbly dodged and was about to attack when she saw who it was.

"Magus! What you do here?" Ayla asked, preparing an attack. Magus looked at her then turned away. 

"There's danger here. It threatens our planet." Magus said softly. He had thought ten times ahead of the other warriors. Ayla nodded, and jumped onto her Dactyl.

"You stronger than I. Ayla leave it to you!" Ayla called while she flew away on the Dactyl. Magus scoffed quietly. He walked out to the cliff. The water was shimmering because of the setting sun.

"Lavos." Magus uttered with contempt. "This is where you descended, wasn't it? In front of the eyes of these primitive people…you destroyed my family and my life. Now, with my experience aiding greatly, I reached a conclusion the others have not."

Magus brushed back his blood red cape and pulled out Vortex's icy eye medallion. He stared at it, then at the sky. "The _Nakabuto_ are going to come to this age, incarnated as children. I know they will avenge Storm." Magus thought for second. "Perhaps, if they posses resurrecting powers, Storm or Vortex could be born here. I'll wait for you, _Nakabuto _warriors!"

Two weeks or so later, several children were born in the Ioka village. Magus had been keeping vigilant watch on the village populous, but it wasn't necessary to be secretive. He could walk straight into the village and ask anyone if anyone had been born that day.

"Any children born today?" he asked Kino. Kino nodded his head vigorously. He pointed towards the center of the village.

"Seven, all born at once! Same time born! Party tonight! You come?" Kino asked in his primitive dialect.

Magus turned away. He scowled darkly and then an intense look of fear came over his face. Then he shot a glance towards Kino.

"Perhaps." Magus was just about to fly off when Kino said something that fitted the final suspicion that these children were _Nakabuto _warriors.

"Also," Kino said happily, "Seven children growing quick! Already…already thirteen years old!" 

Magus halted in his tracks. Then he whirled around and grabbed Kino. He then flew into the air with Kino in his grasp. 

High above the clouds Magus stopped. Magus pulled Kino up so he was inches from his face. Magus had a look of fury on his face that scared Kino out of his wits.

"Those…are _not _children, you primitive idiot! They are seven alien warriors of a race called _Nakabuto_. And tell Ayla this: They are the same or even stronger than _Vortex_. Remember that name, imbecile, VORTEX!" Magus threw Kino down but slowed his death drop when he was feet from the ground.

Magus floated there, fear on his face, arms crossed, sweat running down his face. 

"No! They are very powerful…I don't think we could defeat them without Vortex…" Magus decided to 

"Play pretty song again!"

"Yes, again!"

Noipat sighed heavily. These Ioka fools wanted to hear his flute song again. Noipat raised his head and put his flute to his mouth. Then he began to play the haunting melody.

The flute in Noipat's mouth was pitch black but had a small purple vine twisting around it, and tiny gems were embedded in it. It seemed as if there were no holes, but Noipat found them, and played an echoing song.

"Love attention, don't you Noipat?" A voice asked. Noipat finished playing then turned. It was Draco, a female and a _Nakabuto _warrior.

"No, it's just these people like my flute." Noipat stood up and scowled. 

Magus looked down, invisible. Two of the _Nakabuto _stood in the village center, and one had just played a flute. He had overheard his name from one of the Ioka villagers.

His name was Noipat. His face bore striking resemblance to the knight Cyrus, except his hair was dark brown and stood up in three spikes, like Vortex. He wore a pitch-black tunic, brown boots, navy gloves, and green headband.

The female that had just joined him, her name was Draco. Her hair was pitch black and stood up in two spikes, then cascaded to her knees. She had a purple tunic, white boots and gloves, and blue headband. 

Magus left and flew to find the other five. He had overheard the names of them while invisible. The names were Gama, Ellock, Spekter, Era, and Neo. Gama, Era, and Neo were female and Ellock and Spekter were male.

Magus could spot the _Nakabuto _warriors easily. First he saw Spekter. The boy wore long green robes. His hair was dark brown and was not spiked but had two tiny strands standing up. He seemed distant and faint.

Next Magus looked for Gama. He found her by herself at the Dactyl nest. She looked remarkably like Vortex, wearing the same clothing, except her hair was red. 

The dark mage spent a while staring at Gama, for if her hair was blonde she could be an exact copy of Vortex. Magus then shook off the odd feeling and concentrated on looking for Ellock. 

Ellock carried a huge broadsword and had light blonde hair. It stuck up in every direction. His tunic was white and he wore white boots and gloves. 

Magus stared at Ellock and searched for his power, but couldn't find a tiny surge of energy running though him. Though invisible, when Ellock turned around and looked straight at Magus, he knew Ellock knew he was there. Ellock smiled a little and turned.

"They are all so strong… I hope Gama really is Vortex, or we're all dead." Magus muttered. He still had yet to see Era and Neo. 

Magus found Era and Neo were by the Reptite fortress ruins, examining the spot where Lavos had fallen.

"So…a Lavos has been here…" Era whispered. Magus heard her voice and it sounded cold as ice. Neo nodded slightly.

"I'll use my sight to behold if it lives in the future." Neo sighed. She lifted up her arms and her white hair swirled around. She gasped and fell back surprised. Her black robes flared wildly as she fell. Era ran to her side.

"What happened?" Era asked. Era had purple hair and a white face. She too wore robes; only their color was white. She looked puzzled as Neo laughed.

"Three warriors will destroy Lavos in 65,001,999 years. I saw some of their pasts…" Neo halted for a second.

Magus jerked in surprise. That girl had seen his past? If she blurted anything out...Magus began to surge with energy.

"Two reside in 1000 AD and one here." Neo stood up. "What should we do? I heard that that traitor Vortex fought the mightiest warrior on the planet." Magus practically fell out of the air. Vortex was a traitor to her race? Yes…when she had the Cysta Staff in Melchior's Hut so long ago…

"We shall meet this warrior, and his cohorts." Era said hoarsely. Magus flew over to the Dactyl Nest. He pondered this turn of events. During his thinking, he accidentally let his invisibility shield down.

"So, you are the ones Neo and Era told us about." A voice said. Magus whirled around and charged a Dark Bomb. Then he halted. 

It was Gama. She smiled at him, but there was certain coldness to that face which looked like Vortex's. Magus flinched and Gama came closer.

"The masters of our race sent us here, incarnated into human bodies, shells if you like, but our true power within. You didn't meet her but here was one of our kind, _Vortex_, that came here." Magus blinked. They didn't know he had seen Vortex. And this girl, the way she talked, she couldn't be Vortex.

"I heard she was a traitor. Why?" Magus asked slowly. 

Gama scowled. "We can't keep exact tabs on _every Nakabuto_, but we can still read their emotions. We are unsure, but we believe Vortex loved a human. That is against our beliefs and considered betraying our race." Then Gama smiled. "She died…that's a good thing…she had incredible potential.

Magus was just about to ask Gama something else when another _Nakabuto _appeared. It was Ellock.

"Gama! What are you doing with that human?" Ellock called, eyeing Magus suspiciously. Gama sighed and walked over to the warrior.

"Nothing, nothing. What should we do now? We've been incarnated and accelerated our aging process, Ellock you're the captain of this mission."

Ellock looked confused for a second. "I thought Noipat and Draco were sharing the control of the mission!" Gama grinned maliciously.

"Oh, I have the feeling Draco will be out of…_commission _soon enough. And as for Noipat, he deserves to be demoted. All he ever does is play that stupid flute." Gama sighed.

Ellock looked over to where Magus was. "You! Who are you?" Gama flung a shock at Magus.

"Not that strong, we'll take him with us and see what we can get out of him." Gama levitated Magus and began to walk away.

Ellock stayed a few minutes longer, looking out upon the water. He spoke in barely a whisper.

"Yami haruka tooku…" he said, and then went back to Ioka. 

"Look! Come here Noipat!" Neo cried. The boy ran over to the startled mage. 

"What?" Noipat asked as Neo held the orb that she had been gazing in. Neo turned her head to look at Noipat. She was pale and shaking.

"Within this man…are traces of _Nakabuto _DNA!" Neo cried. Noipat suddenly turned serious. He jumped over and darted his eyes to and fro to see inside the orb.

"Yes…but the true power is gone." Noipat realized something at that moment. "VORTEX! She had to do with this! She gave the _Nakabuto _energy then ripped it back out of him…" 

"What's going on?" Noipat and Neo whirled their heads around to see Ellock standing in the doorway. He was watching them apprehensively.

"This warrior has _Nakabuto _essence in him. We know it was that foul traitor Vortex that bestowed such noble power on him." Noipat flinched as Magus stirred. He turned his head at Ellock.

"You are the Technology Chief. Is there _any _way Vortex could become reincarnated?" Noipat shook as he waited for Ellock's answer. 

"No." Ellock said slowly. "No, there is no way Vortex could become reincarnated." Noipat projected a look of relief on his face. Neo dissolved the orb and glanced at Magus, who was waking up.

"And this one…?" she asked.

"I'll handle him." Ellock offered. Noipat bowed respectfully and walked with Neo out the door. Ellock pulled his broadsword out of its sheath and raised it above his head. He saw Magus's eyes flash open and a look of fury on his face.

Ellock brought the sword and embedded it in the dirt inches beside Magus's head. Then Ellock bent his face low to Magus.

"Go, warrior. I shall not slay you when you are injured." Ellock turned and left. Then he turned and used a small knife to cut through his tunic and then he collected a small amount of blood. Ellock walked over and sprinkled it beside Magus.

Ellock walked out of the door and Magus flew out, invisible.

Magus was hovering above Ellock many hours later. He was confused at the _Nakabuto_. Why did he spare him? Why not just kill him while he was sleeping?

"I wonder…" Magus turned and went to find Gama, who looked so much like Vortex.

Magus found her over by the Dactyl Nest. It seemed as if she never left that spot. 

Magus landed beside her, and, all common sense and experience gone, he uncloaked himself. Gama gave a start at the sight of Magus, suddenly appearing beside her.

"Who are you?" She asked suspiciously. Magus was a little surprised. He had thought this girl to be Vortex. Perhaps she was not…

"I am Magus, destroyer of Lavos!" Magus proclaimed. Gama didn't look impressed.

"If you destroyed Lavos you should be able to take me on!" Gama yelled, she flew up into the air and formed a mass of energy. She shot the giant ball of energy at Magus. Magus was not expecting the girl to attack, so he was hit with the full blast.

"Ha haa haaa! Pathetic!" Gama laughed. She formed another energy ball and threw it at Magus. Seconds before impact though…

KABOOM! Ellock had thrown himself in front of the ball and reflected it away. Gama blasted down to the ground. She glared, enraged, at Ellock who was standing over Magus, healing his wounds from the last blast. 

"What are you doing?" Gama cried. Ellock chuckled and turned. Magus opened his eyes and stood.

Ellock did not answer Gama's question. Instead he stood, crossed his arms, and smirked. 

"Who am I?" He asked. Gama scoffed.

"You are Ellock, _Nakabuto _warrior! You can to this planet with us to succeed where Storm had failed." Gama stated. Then Ellock shook his head with mocking superiority.

"Wrong, wrong, wrong, my dear Gama. I am not Ellock. I bet this sorcerer can take a guess." Ellock gestured to Magus. He mouthed something inaudible.

"You…you…you are VORTEX!" Gama screamed. Ellock raised his hands up and charged his power. Then his form exploded into pieces. Standing there, surrounded in coursing black energies, Vortex's icy eyes burned with unmistakable rage. 

"DIE TRAITOR!" Gama ran forward and disappeared. Vortex jumped up into the air and kicked the materializing Gama in the face. The evil warrior fell to the ground.

"Traitor? Traitor is such a mean word, Gama. On the other hand, '_go to hell_' isn't all that nice either?" Vortex jumped up and shot Deadly Crystal Barrage at the fallen _Nakabuto_. 

"Noooooooo!!!" Gama screamed as a sharp black crystal pierced her heart. Vortex landed gracefully on the ground a few feet away. 

Vortex stood up, paying no mind to the corpse behind her. She looked straight into Magus's eyes.

"I thought you couldn't be brought back." Magus breathed, walking forward. Vortex smirked. 

"That's right. I channeled myself into Ellock and took over, then corrupted his body and mind from within." Vortex said. Then her eyes flashed southward. "Company." Vortex closed her eyes.

"Neo…Era…and Noipat. And Spekter and Draco think they're coming from behind us unobserved. They'll have to go through me to destroy this planet." Vortex hissed. She stood battle-ready, surging with power.

Magus was just about to say something when the five remaining _Nakabuto _incarnates appeared. All seemed to be expecting Vortex to be there.

"Vortex…I see you've dispensed with Ellock and Gama." Noipat said softly.

Vortex tossed her head back and laughed. "Of course, fool. They were no match for my power…and neither are you!" Vortex saw Noipat put his flute to his mouth. Quickly, she shot a small ball of energy, which knocked the flute out of his hands and off the cliff.

"You shall not enchant me with your flute, Noipat!" Vortex howled. She casually tossed a gigantic icy energy ball over he shoulder, pass Magus, and directly at Draco and Spekter. The blast caught them by surprise and they tumbled off the cliff.

"Why did you betray us, Vortex?" Neo asked mistily. Her white hair glistened and was ruffled by a passing gust of wind.

Vortex didn't answer. She crossed her arms and closed her eyes. A wide grin spread across her face and she snickered.

"I did not betray you, not by my standards, anyway. I will fight you to the last. I may be _Nakabuto _by birth, but I am humanoid in spirit. Never shall I allow you to take this planet. If you'd stop and look for once…" Vortex tossed her head back. "But the time has passed for that. Die." 

Vortex flipped back and charged her energy. Neo brought up an orb and read the powering warrior's fighting level.

"Noipat! This cannot be, her power is great! Look at my reading!!" Neo cried, and Noipat shot a worried glance into the misty orb. He materialized a sword out of thin air and leaped forward.

"Not today, scum!" Vortex shouted. She raised her arm up and parried the blade with her hands. Noipat pressed harder on the sword and tried to force it to wound Vortex.

"Yaah!" Vortex flung him backwards crashing into Neo. Magus leapt up and he shot a small vine of twisting black energy towards the two _Nakabuto_. Vortex jumped over and added an icy energy strand, which increased the force of the blow.

"Nooooo!" Neo cried as the power surged through her. Noipat had jumped clear and was watching, but also preparing a back attack. Vortex began blasting wild energy at the other three warriors. Beams and blasts collided with the _Nakabuto_ and sent them reeling off the cliff.

Noipat shot Vortex in the back with most of his energy. She yelled in pain and fell to her knees. Noipat appeared in front her, her teeth clenched as she tried to heal herself.

"So, the mighty Vortex will fall to a back blow." Noipat chuckled. He raised a hand over his head and summoned his remaining energy. 

Magus flashed in front of Vortex and punched Noipat hard. He fell back and wiped a trickled of blood from his mouth. Magus shot Dark Mists and Dark Bombs at Noipat and the blazing display of dark energy paralyzed him.

"Die, you coward!" Magus roared. He threw a tiny line of energy straight through Noipat's head. The _Nakabuto _fell down, dead.

Magus stood over the corpse then walked back over to Vortex who had just healed herself. 

"Why'd you save me?" she asked suspiciously. Magus waved the question away with his hand and stood over on the cliff edge. The bodies of the remaining aliens lay sprawled out on the rocks, but one form was moving slightly.

"VORTEX! I'LL GET YOU FOR THIS!!" Era yelled. She tore off her gentle robes and underneath was a battle suit identical to Vortex's. 

Vortex casually looked over the ledge. "You wear the rebel colors, as I do." She mused, grinning slightly.

"You KILLED Spekter!" Era screamed shrilly. She pulled a blood-red sword from a scabbard on her back. She swung it menacingly over her head in fury.

"And? What was soooo special about that weird eyed idiot?" Vortex called back. Era blasted up and stared Vortex straight in the face.

"I…I…" Era fumed. She fell back onto a ledge jutting out of the cliff a few feet down. Her power was completely drained and she had fainted. Vortex looked up and waved her hands over her head in a gesture of confusion.

"Probably liked him or something…" Vortex mumbled as she and Magus trudged out of the Dactyl Nest.

It had been a few weeks since the Dactyl Nest encounter and Magus and Vortex were enjoying a bit of relaxation at the Ioka village. The locals were so primitive they forgot all about their fast-growing children. Magus was usually by the outskirts and Vortex was being constantly asked to sing in Japanese.

Vortex walked towards the village center. "All right, but this is the _last _time today!" she cried, frustrated.

"Yami yo…ame yo…ima, oshiete. Tsuki yo…kaze yo…ima, kotaete. Tori yo…kumo yo…ima, oshiete. Nami yo…kage yo…ima, kotaete." She sang hurriedly. All the villagers marveled at the voice and the strange sounds. 

Ayla stood by the outskirts of the village with Crono, Glenn, and Marle. Vortex quickly summoned the form of Ellock, for she had learned a bit of metamorphic techniques while in Ellock's body.

Uninterestedly, Vortex turned her head the other way from Crono and the others. She gripped the sword at her waist. Marle curiously walked over to her, and tapped her shoulder.

Vortex turned her head and looked at Marle. She hid smile while thinking of how Marle had no clue that it was she under the male covering.

"Hi, I'm Marle. You probably aren't from this village, are you?" Marle asked nervously. Glenn walked over to join Marle. He noticed the sword that Vortex had.

"Greetings. Thou hast a fine blade. Canst I see it?" Glenn asked. Vortex pulled the sword from its holster and handed it to Glenn. It was a black blade that more of the design of the Rainbow. It shocked Glenn softly and jumped back into Vortex's hand.

"Do you know Vortex? You remind me of her. I wish she hadn't died…I think Magus liked her. You should have seen him when she died the second time…I think he was almost crying." Marle murmured softly. Vortex leaned her head a bit closer, hiding a smile.

"Yasashisa namida o shirazu ni katarenai." She muttered. Marle whipped her head up quickly.

"What did you say? Was that Japanese…" Marle blinked slowly as the fact of the matter sunk in. "You can't be…you're dead…you're Vortex!" Vortex grinned and raised her arms and hands skyward. The form of Ellock exploded and Vortex stood, a smirk playing across her face.

Vortex simply stood there while Marle and Glenn backed away in surprise. She raised her head and looked directly into Marle's eyes.

"I'd stay here, but ima o ikirunoni o osugiruna…there is too much to live today." Vortex took off and used her power to travel to Zeal, 12050 BC, three days after her banishment.

The breeze ruffled Vortex's hair as she landed on the main Zeal isle. There was only a few people milling about, but one young girl broke away from the moving crowds and came over to Vortex. 

"Hello." The girl said, her eyes shining with intelligence. She had dark blue hair and wore gray robes. The girl looked into Vortex's eyes. "Who are you?"

Vortex scoffed and gave the girl a look as cold as the winds of the continent below. The girl quickly stepped out of her Zealen robes and Vortex saw she was wearing a blood-red outfit. Everything, from boots to gloves, was a bloody red color. 

"Who are you?" The girl asked again, a little more testily. Vortex gave her a strange look but responded.

"I am Vortex, Dark Sorceress." Vortex said, waiting to hear the young girl's response.

The girl nodded slightly. "You were banished three days ago, but I sense a cloud of age about you. So you can time travel…I see your experience has left you battle hardened and practically soulless." She pulled out a short sword; identical to the one Vortex had had as Ellock.

"My name is Kokoro." The girl said, waving the glistening blade over her head. Vortex stepped back to avoid being sliced by the weapon.

"Kokoro…that means 'heart' doesn't it?" Vortex asked her.

Kokoro was taken aback. "You…you know Japanese?" she asked chokingly.

Vortex nodded curtly. "Yes. And are you just going to hold that blade, or are you going to kill me?" She crossed her arms and glared at Kokoro. Kokoro shook out a gaze and raised her sword at battle ready position.

The small girl rushed forward and swung the sword in a great arch. Vortex did a back-flip and quickly summoned her weapon, the whip Striker.

"Hyah!" Vortex shouted, cracking the whip above Kokoro's head. She dropped her sword and threw a great blast of red energy at Vortex. Vortex punched the energy and it flew off into the sky.

Kokoro ran towards Vortex and punched her forcefully in the stomach. Vortex fell back but shot a spear-shaped beam at the young girl. She dodged nimbly, but Vortex appeared behind her and brought her elbow onto Kokoro's head.

"Argh!" Kokoro fell the ground and Vortex dropped down a few feet away. 

"Ah ha hah!" Vortex grinned. "Did you really think you could defeat me? I have experience of training in over two thousand times normal gravity! And…I am of the race called _Nakabuto_." She stepped towards the wheezing Kokoro and gently placed her foot on top of the girl's head.

Vortex leaned close to Kokoro. "You shall come with me, and aid me in destroying a being called Era. Otherwise, you shall die." She whispered viciously.

Kokoro took a ragged breath. "I'll never help you…" she gasped. 

Vortex grew enraged and pressed her foot down harder. She leaned her face inches from Kokoro's. "I'm not going to take any of this trash. This is _not _a vengeful quest. She means to destroy this world or take all the humans as slaves to my race, the _Nakabuto_." Vortex pressed her foot harder. "Now, would you rather tolerate me or see your entire race be enslaved?" she heard Kokoro whimper slightly.

"Good." Vortex let the young girl up. "Now, I'll help you get what supplies you need then I'll take you on as my _Nakabuto_ apprentice. If you pass the trials and survive, I will bless you with the essence of my race." Vortex turned her head and looked from Enhasa to Kajar, to the palace.

"Where do you live, girl?" Vortex snapped. Kokoro gently wove a strand of her dark blue hair around her finger and pointed to the palace.

Vortex raised an eyebrow. "Royalty, eh? Well, you'll soon find it is the warrior's spirit which is higher. Now, can you fly?" Kokoro nodded. "Good. Let's go."

Kokoro and Vortex flew up to the last Cave teleporter. Vortex made a cloak with a hood and drew it over her head. In this guise, there was no way to tell she was female or that she was Vortex, the banished one. That and she looked just Magus when he was the Prophet.

"I really don't feel like killing hundreds of people now." Vortex walked with Kokoro into the palace. The cloaked mage got strange looks from some Zealen people, but was not stopped.

Kokoro and Vortex walked into a bedroom. The young girl made a chest materialize. Inside was a pitch black outfit with white gloves, boots, and a gray cape. 

"This provides much more protection." Kokoro mumbled as she exchanged her blood-red headband for a light sky blue one. She placed her thin blade inside the box and slowly lifted out a thinner sword.

The sword was a prismatic color, its hue kept shifting from light to dark, dark to light. She placed the blade inside her garb, making it seem like it was not even there. Kokoro turned to the cloaked Vortex.

"The real problem is getting away from my mother, Queen Yor. Only the royal family knows of your banishment. All others think you were killed or imprisoned." Vortex waved her hand impatiently. 

"I have dealt with Yor before. I'll reveal myself, and she shove inside the banishment portal. You jump in and I will alter it to a time gate. We will warp to 65,000,000 BC to destroy Era." Vortex explained. Kokoro and Vortex walked quickly towards the throne room, the elder mage explaining a plan along the way.

Kokoro, now with Zealen robes over her warrior outfit, walked toward her mother, leaving Vortex standing in the middle of the throne room. "Mother, this is a traveler from a far away land. This traveler seeks shelter for a period of time." Kokoro said to her mother.

Yor barked a laugh. "And is this person male or female my young princess?" Kokoro chewed her lip for a second and looked at Vortex.

_Male._ Vortex said in telepathic connection with Kokoro. _It will be less conspicuous._ Kokoro turned to her mother and responded male.

The queen looked somewhat relieved. "Oh. You may stay then." Vortex nodded slowly to the Zeal Princess. She flicked her cape back a bit.

"I am sorry, but I need to leave. I require your daughter." Vortex said low and gruffly. Yor rocked back in her golden throne.

"MY DAUGHTER?" she howled. "Why would you, a lowly traveler, need my daughter." Vortex responded, but in her normal voice. 

"Her potential is great." Vortex lowered the hood that was over her head. "I am taking her as my apprentice. She will become one of my species, if she lives. I have great faith that she will."

Kokoro tore off her Zealen robes and leapt back to Vortex's side. She pulled out her glistening blade and swung it at the queen.

"Do not tarry us, mother, or my friend shall destroy you." Kokoro growled, her sword shining in the dim room. Yor choked and opened the banishment portal.

Vortex and Kokoro jumped backwards into the portal. Vortex quickly turned it to a time gate. The two warriors were sent hurtling through time.

As the waves and fabric of time blew past them, the two made conversation.

"I believe you will be a great warrior." Vortex said.

"Do you really think so?" Kokoro responded.

Vortex nodded. "Yes, you have great determination, and the creativity of youth."

"Thank you." 

There was silence for a few moments as they time traveled. Then Kokoro voiced something she had been wondering.

"How strong is the foe we go to fight?" she asked. Vortex scowled and brushed a bit of her bright blonde hair out of her face. 

"Very. She is of my race and if she transforms, her strength will be multiplied greatly." Vortex muttered. 

Kokoro looked confused. "Transforms?" Vortex sighed slightly.

"I shall show you soon enough."

And then they arrived.

Era was attacking! Most of the Ioka Village was destroyed, and a few of the villagers were throwing spears at Era. Vortex turned her head and searched the land for Ayla, Glenn, Crono, Marle, or Magus.

"There!" Vortex cried. She shot off with Kokoro close behind. Vortex flew to the Mystic Mountains where the warriors were getting ready to attack. 


	4. Spawn of Lavos

**The Vortex Chronicles Book 4**

**The Spawn of Lavos**

By Majin Magus

The wind howled, as all stood, silent. Magus watched Era with hatred, Vortex looked from Era to Magus, and Kokoro stood aghast. 

Vortex blinked and stared hard into Era. "She can't be a Lavos Spawn! She came here as a _Nakabuto_!!" She turned to Magus, who was twitching angrily. Kokoro slowly unsheathed her sword, and whispered a small verse. 

"My sword becomes the evil-killer Moon-Star!" Kokoro cried, as a small moon with a star inside appeared at the start of the blade. The sword stopped shimmering and became a solid black. She wove it around so that it became a dark blur. 

Magus scowled darkly. "Mind take-over, the same as you with Ellock, I think. She _is _Lavos Spawn. I have known the dark energy of Lavos my entire life!" Magus turned and glared at Vortex. "You think I would not know of its offspring? Fool." Vortex stepped up a bit in anger. 

Kokoro walked over to Magus. "I believe you." She said softly. Letting the Moon-Star blade disappear into her clothing, she turned to Vortex. 

"We'll not be able to defeat a Lavos with the power of a _Nakabuto_ and its own by ourselves." Kokoro glanced at Era, who was charging up her powers and shouting the Lavos cry. 

"Fool. Have you no faith in your own strengths?" said Vortex with an air of great disgust. Kokoro looked down at the ground. 

Era threw her arms straight out and a familiar dismal energy surrounded her. Suddenly 

Spines burst out of her and her head meshed together to form what looked like a mouth. Seconds after the start of the transform, she was finished. She spoke to the three with a voice that had no sound but was tremendous. 

HA HA, YOU FOOL! She screamed. YOU HAVE ALLOWED ME TO TRANSFORM! THE _NAKABUTO _POWER AND MY OWN LAVOS POWER WILL ALLOW ME TO DESTROY ALL LIFE ON THIS PLANET!! 

Era turned her mouth-head and looked' straight at Vortex. Vortex was flinching at random spots in the face as a great whirl of icy energy surrounded her. 

YOU, YOU WHO HAVE WORKED _SO _HARD TO PROTECT THIS PITIFUL PLANET, ARE NOW TO SEE IT BE DRAINED. Era turned for a few seconds in Magus's direction. Then she flipped back to face Vortex. 

AND YOU. Era said in her gigantic voice. SO EAGER TO PRESERVE THIS PLANET, WHEN ALL THIS WHILE I HAVE BEEN PLANNING TO DESTROY IT AND AVENGE MY SPECIES! 

"Magus, Kokoro." Vortex hissed. The two warriors flashed over to the still-flinching Vortex. 

"I'll hold her off. You go prepare the others in 1000 AD for the fight ahead." Vortex stepped lightly towards Era, who was charging her infamous energies. Magus looked sadly at Vortex. 

"Vortex" he whispered. Vortex turned with a spiteful look on her face. 

Vortex scowled slightly. "Sonna yasashii manazashi de." Then she stared at Magus with her ice-cold eyes. "Don't look closely at me with such kindness." She translated. Kokoro knew what she said the first time. 

The young warrior then heard what Vortex hissed under her breath, and knew Magus did not hear. 

"Setsunai mune shirazu Ni." Kokoro took a few steps back. She could not believe what she just heard. This Zealen princess knew Japanese, which meant she knew exactly what this ruthless _Nakabuto_ just said. 

"You don't know my painful heart" Kokoro whispered. She turned and flew off with Magus. Just as Vortex turned to face Era, a Gate appeared and out stepped Marle. 

Marle glanced at Vortex and then loaded a Golden arrow onto her crossbow. She pointed it straight at Era, and Vortex nodded. She reached up to the sky and suddenly her weapon, the whip Striker, appeared. 

"Let's kill it!" Marle cried, leaping forward and shooting her arrow. Vortex grabbed her whip out of the air and also jumped forward. They both sped toward Era and what looked like certain death. 

* 

Magus and Kokoro flew through the fabrics of time in awkward silence. 

"Soyou're a prince of Zeal?" Kokoro asked uncertainly. Magus nodded slightly. 

They continued in silence until they reached 1000 AD. 

* 

Lucca and Crono were standing on the wooden planks of Zenan Bridge. Marle had left, saying she had some business to take care of. Lucca was modifying some gizmo, of which Crono could only guess its purpose. 

"Ha!" Lucca held up the thing, which was oddly shaped, almost like a gun. She shoved into Crono's face. 

"Whadda ya think?" she asked brightly, her eyes pleading praise. Crono blinked and stared blankly at the gun-thing. He looked up at Lucca, then at the thing again. He saw a small script scribbled on the side. It read, Hirameki.' Crono grinned awkwardly at Lucca. 

"It's, ah, a beautiful Hirameki!" he said, praying that Lucca wouldn't question him about the thing's uses. Lucca brought her Hirameki close to her face and tweaked a small bolt. 

Lucca then held it close to Crono's face again. "Thanks! How do you think the Hirameki will do?" she glowed at Crono while awaiting his answer. 

Dang,' Crono thought. He scratched the back of his head. "Uhgreat?" Lucca's smile broadened. She stared straight at Crono. 

Lucca brought the Hirameki away. "It's okay, Crono. I know you don't know what this does. It is designed to blind everything within a specific range of you." She traced the name lightly with her finger. "It's a last effort and a cheap shotbut I had designed it for, well, you know, just in case" 

Lucca bowed her head in shame, and Crono stepped over. "Yeah, I know; for Vortex. You didn't trust her. I don't think any of us trusted her" Crono's eyes flashed to the north start of the bridge, where a Gate was opening. "Except for maybe Magus." Lucca looked up and there was Magus and a girl she had never seen before. This girl was dressed somewhat like Vortex, and had dark blue hair. 

Magus looked at Crono, then wove his hand back toward the girl. 

"This is Kokoro, princess of Zeal in 12,050 BC." Kokoro pushed Magus's hand out of the way and walked towards Lucca. 

"Why weren't you at the first battle? Was it cause you are _weak_?" she sneered. Lucca stepped back and reached for the Hirameki. Crono took out his Rainbow and glared Magus. 

"What are you looking at me for? I didn't tell her to say that, and neither did VortexOh, which reminds me. Vortex is buying you some time to prepare for the battle against Era." Magus stared as no one moved. "WELL? Go get some Tonics or something! _Move_!" 

Crono and Lucca darted over to their houses for their supplies, and Kokoro started to fly to the nearest shop. 

"If there's anything good," Kokoro called over her shoulder, "I'll swipe it." She sped towards the shop, and about ten seconds later, another Gate appeared a few feet from Magus. 

Vortex and Marle fell out, each completely battered and bleeding. Marle healed them both and tried to mend her crossbow, which was cracked in half. Vortex stood up and stared Magus in the eyes. 

"Era's so strong. Whatever plans and chances we had_flit_." Vortex made a small sound and made a motion symbolizing something flying away. Magus buried his head in his hands as Crono, Lucca, and Kokoro appeared. 

"What's wrong?" Lucca asked, pulling on a Prism Helmet. Crono and Kokoro looked equally puzzled as Magus made a _flit_' sound and wove his hand. Vortex and Marle both looked abashed. 

Kokoro dropped the stuff she had stolen from the Truce store and took out her Moon-Star sword. She glared at all of them in turn, and then tapped Vortex with the side of her blade. 

"Vortex, I think _now _would be a good time to give me _Nakabuto _power." Kokoro hissed. Vortex looked up with rage. 

"_You idiot_!" she exploded. "_Don't you see that even if I did give you Nakabuto power, we'd still lose_? _There is no chance we can beat her_!" Vortex charged her powers in raw anger. Kokoro didn't step back. 

Instead, she shoved her face in Vortex's. "Don't _you see _that our chances will improve? I could handle it, and" Magus cut her off. 

"Vortex is stronger in her human form, aren't you?" Magus asked, and Vortex nodded angrily. "See? So having the powers wouldn't work, all it does is allow you to stand intense gravity." Kokoro leapt forward and put her sword to Magus's throat. 

"Just because Vortex is stronger in her human form doesn't mean I will be too!" Kokoro snapped her head around and glared at Vortex. "GIVE ME THE POWER!" 

Vortex threw a great ball at Kokoro, just as she had at Magus. Kokoro absorbed the energy as if it were the greatest treasure in the world. She then floated up a few feet then glared at Vortex with an expression of excitement and anticipation. 

"Tell me the incantation for releasing the full power of this new strength!!" Kokoro yelled. Vortex flinched and told her the spell with a telepathic message. The young warrior raised her arms skyward and made her energy swirl around her to create a chilling effect. 

Kokoro formed a ball of energy in her hand and begun the incantation. "Hyouteki wo mezaseba koduo ga hayaku naru! Atsuku itaku setsunaku michi WA tsuzuku! Nabottari ochitari dakedo kujikenai de! SUBETE CHIKARA NI KAEYOU!!" 

Kokoro clenched her fists and as she did, the ground around her exploded. The other warriors jumped back. Shining gold energy surrounded her and whirled around her as her deep blue hair turned to a blackish-purplish color. Her skin became like Vortex's when she transformed, a prismatic color that kept shifting. 

"Heh" Kokoro chuckled as her pupils vanished and her ears grew pointed. Deep blue clothing appeared on her, accompanied by blood-red gloves. Her original garb vanished completely. 

_Now you shall all die!! _Kokoro roared, leaping forward. Vortex was faster and punched her in the stomach. Kokoro gave a cry of fury, and flew up into the air. 

The two pieces of hair that usually hung in front of Kokoro's eyes were meshing together to form one long strand that partially obscured her right eye. Vortex looked into her eyes, her completely white eyes. Vortex could see the rage that she had had not long ago. The _Nakabuto _power was in control, and it had to be stopped. 

_Die, weakling!!!_ Kokoro shouted, vanishing then reappearing in front of Vortex. She blasted down to the ground with Kokoro following. They then began to fight, but in movements so fast none of the other warriors could follow it. 

Lucca looked wide-eyed to Magus. "Isis she always that fast?" she asked, watching the blur of the two and gesturing towards what she thought was Vortex. 

Magus turned to look at Lucca. "Yes." He said simply. They both looked back the battle, which had ceased for the moment. 

Vortex was relatively unharmed, save a few trickles of blood emitting from her mouth. Kokoro was in a worse state. Her new garments were torn and she stood with blood dripping from her shoulders, head, and hands. 

Vortex's eyes suddenly flashed menacingly. "It endsnow! I knew you couldn't control the _Nakabuto _power. I shall show you" Vortex clenched her fists and bursts of icy light burst spontaneously from the area around her. 

"What it means to be have _Nakabuto _power!" A wave of energy surrounded her and her long blonde hair flew straight up and changed to a silvery color. Her hair was the only thing that changed, but the others could feel the alien power coursing through her. 

Kokoro snorted diversely. And then, without warning, Vortex leapt forward and punched Kokoro in the jaw. She fell backward and Vortex continued her attack: Punch, kick, left, right, uppercut, and right jab, until Kokoro was thrown back. 

Vortex surrounded herself within an icy barrier and flew forward and locked her hands together. Kokoro was she reeling back from the last blow that she didn't expect it when Vortex brought her locked hands down on her head. 

_Argh! _Kokoro cried in a physic voice. Vortex floated back down to the ground. Her hair went back to normal: three spikes, long, and blonde. Kokoro was just about to fight more, and as she struggled to walk towards Vortex, her legs gave way and she collapsed. 

Lucca looked up in amazement. "How'd you know she would attack?" Vortex twitched slightly. 

"That power is why I died the last time. I fought Magus and didn't get control until I was near death." Vortex explained as Kokoro stood up. 

_Thanks. I don't know what came over me! _She said. Vortex shrugged off her thanks and gestured towards a Gate she had made a split second sooner. Kokoro powered down to normal state, but her ears remained pointed. She didn't seem to mind this. 

"We should get the others. Marle, you and I will get Ayla. Lucca, you and Kokoro go retrieve Robo. Magus, go with Crono and collect Glenn from whatever hole he's living in." 

* 

The gathering did not take long. Ayla had been close to Ioka village hunting, Robo had been powered off in a dome, and Glenn had been visiting Guardia castle. Robo had been told about Kokoro and Crono alone had gotten Glenn from the castle, for obvious reasons. 

Marle was pacing Vortex was talking in a low voice to Magus. Crono pounded his fist on the table. All nine were gathered at Crono's house. 

"How are we supposed to know when Era is going to attack?" Crono shouted. His mom walked over. 

"Don't yell, dear." She scolded. Crono ignored her and glanced at Robo. 

"You have any records of an attack by Era?" he asked the machine. Robo made a whirring sound for a moment. 

His tan metallic head shook. "No, but it is possible that my data is a bit outdatedOne of the computers in 2300 AD may have sufficient information." Robo said in his robotic voice. 

Crono turned back to the group. "One, maybe two of us should go to a dome in 2300 AD and see when Era will attack. Any volunteers?" he asked. Vortex stepped forward, and so did Marle. 

"Okay, Vortex and Marle will go." Crono shrugged and began to sharpen his Rainbow on a rock he had. "We better get our weapons ready. Some might be deteriorating." Magus drew back his cape to reveal that his Doom Sickle was sharp, probably sharper than when he had gotten it. 

Vortex opened a Gate and pulled Marle inside. "Bye Crono!" Marle shouted quickly as the Gate closed. In instants Vortex and Marle were standing in front of a dome. 

Vortex glanced hardly at Marle, then at the dome. "Which dome is this?" she asked roughly. 

Marle shrugged slightly and began to walk towards the entrance. "I have no idea, but let's go." 

* 

Magus leaned casually again the wall. While Vortex was gone he had decided to sort out a new set of emotions that had been plaguing him for quite some time. He was just about to sort through a foreign feeling when Kokoro walked over to him. 

"What do you want?" Magus asked harshly. Kokoro grinned cockily and pulled out her long, sharp sword. 

"Ohyou're thinking, aren't you? Thinkingabout Vortex!" Kokoro edged. She sheathed her sword and walked away. Magus felt his power course through him, and he almost blasted the girl to oblivion. 

Instead, he simply stood there, just as Kokoro said, thinking. Then, suddenly, there was burst of energy outside. Everyone flooded out of Crono's house to see what it was. 

There, hovering with a cocky grin, was 

"Era" Kokoro murmured grimy. 

* 

Vortex tapped a few keys on the keyboard and an image popped up. "Scanning for attacks" Vortex said. Marle walked over to the board and looked down on the keys. She saw a key with an odd symbol on it. With no shred of common sense running through her, Marle pushed it. 

"Youyou!!" Vortex roared as the image changed. Vortex was thinking about shoving some crystals into Marle when a flash of purple hair was seen. 

Vortex shoved Marle to the floor and quickly punched about thirty keys. The image froze instantly, and Vortex pulled back the picture. It showed Era attacking a villagebut it was indistinct. Marle got up, slightly rubbing a wound on her arm, and pulled the image again. She shrieked and dropped to the ground. 

"What? What is it?" Vortex asked without concern. Marle sobbed for a few seconds then looked up, tears rolling down her cheeks. 

"Era's attacking Truceand Crono's housefive minutes ago" Marle cried. An image filled her mind of her love Crono lying on the ground, dead or dying, his face 

Vortex searched for a reason why she should care. Robo? No. Glenn? No. Lucca? No. Crono? No. Ayla? No. Magus? 

She paused. Did she care for Magus? It had been so long since she had felt anything besides hatred or rage. Any other emotion she couldn't recognize. Love? What did love feel like? 

"WellI suppose we should go. Maybemaybe we can help." Marle got up slowly and her eyes fixed on Vortex who was standing perfectly still, obviously lost in thought. Marle knew that every second they stayed here, the risk of Crono's death rose. 

Marle walked over to Vortex and slapped her hard in the face. Vortex blinked and her eyes returned to their normal cold state. Seconds later Vortex's hand was at Marle's throat. 

"Don't" Vortex growled, her grip tightening every word. A Gate appeared next to them and Vortex shoved Marle in, then she walked inside. 

* 

The Gate dropped Vortex and Marle right above a smoking crater. Marle rolled down into mud, but Vortex flew over to Crono's house. 

Or, what had been Crono's house. 

A few walls still stood, but the entire second floor had been completely torn off. Most of the items inside' the house were on fire. Marle screamed. 

"Do youdo you think Crono's m-mom?" Marle asked, her voice quavering. Vortex gazed at the scene with cold eyes, but a flicker of concern that was well seen by Marle appeared. And she knew Vortex's vague concern was reserved for Magus and Magus alone. 

Some one coughed from underneath the rubble. In a flash the burning debris was raised up to reveal Glenn. The fire (of hope, had it been?) had vanished from Vortex's eyes. 

"E-Era! At-attackedI rememberth no more" Glenn coughed as he sank down onto the remains of a rug. Marle ran over and was about to heal him when Vortex held up a hand. 

Marle walked over to hear what Vortex was going to say. "This won't be pretty. Take frog-boy and go to the castle. I'll look for the others" commanded Vortex with a chill in her voice. Marle began to carry Glenn over to the woods while the sorceress levitated burning masses of wood around. 

"Wherethey?!" Vortex roared as she blasted a nearby tree to bits. There was not much of the house left, and in the place of the tree there was now 

"A Gate" whispered Vortex as she neared towards it. It glowed with a black and purple aura, and electrical shocks bounced out of it. Right then, Vortex knew this was no ordinary Gate. 

Then, seemingly out of nowhere, a disembodied voice began to speak. "Vortex" it said, "if you want to find that mage, come to me" 

Vortex grinned, but her sardonic smile quickly hardened into a look of cold hatred. "Yeah, right. Like I'd come to you' Era!" the voice seemed to quaver, but only slightly. "Tell me where Magus is and _perhaps _I shall spare you!" 

Era's voice laughed. "And the others? What of Crono, Lucca, Ayla, and Robo? Oris it simply _Magus _you care abouthmm?" Vortex's look of hate became even more vivid. 

"You" Vortex threatened, waving a clenched fist at the empty air. Slowly, like a bad transmission, an image of Era fizzled into view right above the Gate. The project folded its arms and grinned, a look of superiority playing on the see-through skin. 

Era's hologram looked over to Vortex with mock disappointment. "I thought you would've wanted to save that odd magician, but I suppose you are too weak" The picture shook its head and sighed. "And all it would've taken was your stepping through my Gateoh wellI suppose Magus will die, then" 

Vortex clenched her teeth but stepped forward. She raised a hand and pointed it at the hologram. "What will occur when I enter this Gate?" she asked, her voice shaking with rage. The hologram projected a brightened look. 

" _When?' _Excellent! So you _are_ coming!" The hologram floated down next to Vortex. It wove its hand in a simplistic manner. "Nothing much, nothing much." 

Vortex crossed her arms. "Obviously _something, _though." Her impatience was growing. Era would die; Vortex couldn't believe she had actually been considering not killing her. 

"Well, all that'll happen isa small slash, nothing much, across your left shoulder." The hologram traced a line about three inches long across Vortex's shoulder. It then raised its head up and beckoned to the Gate. 

Vortex didn't move. "It has to be a trick. Era cannot defeat me by cutting me! What's the catch?" When the projection said nothing, Vortex sighed and walked into the Gate, hoping this wasn't a poor decision. 

* 

Marle gently laid Glenn into a bed into the soldiers' quarters in the Guardia castle basement. He had passed out halfway through the forest, but the flock of Bellbirds that had attacked them proved no problem for Marle. 

The frog warrior stirred slowly in the bed. A curious soldier came over, but Marle shooed him away. Glenn sat up gradually and looked around. His large eyes reflected Marle's own concerned face. 

"W-what? What I am doing here? Where be the lady Vortex?" Glenn's eyes darted nervously about the room as he asked the question. 

"I don't know where anyone is, except for you and me. This is the soldiers' quarters of Guardia castle, 1000 AD, of course." Marle looked with sympathy at Glenn, whose arm seemed to be broken. 

Glenn tried to move his right arm, but it would not budge. Although his clothing around his broken arm was stained a deep red from blood, Glenn knew it looked much worse underneath. Marle took a breath and stood up. 

"My magic is drainedI haven't replenished it in a while. Let me sleep for the night and as soon as I wake I will heal your arm." Marle flopped down in the bed that was next to Glenn and immediately fell asleep. 

Instead of resting his weary body, Glenn stared at the stone ceiling. _All _of his friends and allies were gone, except for Marle, and now even Vortex was gone. 

"I wonderth where they are now" Glenn whispered before falling into a deep sleep. 

* 

As the waves of time swirled around Vortex, she flew through the Gate. The purple and blue waves of pure energy passed by her as quickly as they had come. Even in between time periods Era's hologram followed Vortex. 

"Okay, now the little cut will come" The projection said simply, its voice perfectly matching that of Era's. Seconds later, a slit appeared in the cape and tunic around Vortex's shoulder. The little cut' burned like hell. 

"See? You can live with it. Nowokay, you'll arrive in a few seconds" The hologram dropped its bright smile and adopted a malicious grin. Vortex clasped her right hand over the cut and felt a thin line of blood drip from it down her arm. 

Suddenly, Vortex fell onto a hard, cold floor. It was stone, but she really didn't care. The wound in her shoulder, though small, was slicing through her tough exterior and actually making this little slice hurt. It was unheard of, Vortex thought. 

Just then, Era, the real Era, appeared. She grabbed one of the spikes of hair on top of Vortex's head and pulled her up. She still had her right hand over her wound, and her face was twisted with pain and agony. 

"Stupid _Nakabuto._ You underestimate me! I am the Spawn of Lavos from a planet long conquered! I have no idea how this pitiful little planet was spared, butyou shall not be so lucky escaping the hands of a Lavos!" Era grinned maliciously, then released Vortex's hair, allowing her to collapse onto the ground again. "I use the feeble human term for my species because our own true name is too great to be spoken. The term alone would shatter your primitive mind!" 

Vortex cast a healing spell and aimed it at the wound. When the spell hit the bleeding slash, something sliced another injury on the right cheek of Vortex's face. This new cut burned just as much as the last one. 

"Apparently you don't understand, you primitive life form." Era sneered, looking down on Vortex. "These scores are eternal. This placewhenever someone's flesh is opened a microscopic virus flies under the skin. These germs then reproduce, taking over your cells. The sickness finally spreads through the Nervous system and the brain. Complete control is registered to meyou are _mine _now, _Nakabuto." _

The sorceress cackled and disappeared. Vortex looked around the room. It had cold, hard stonewalls with no openings. In the middle of the room there was a dining table with a black tablecloth spread on top of it. On there was a large meal, though obviously for only one person. There was also a bed, quite comfortable looking, in the corner to Vortex's right. It too had black sheets on it, and a very dark pillow. 

Era's voice suddenly echoed through the room. "If you are to be my slave, I should at least make you a _happy _slave. You shall wait here until I need you. I shall not control you unless you disobey me. My controlling you is _quite _painful, so I suggest you just follow my orders." 

Vortex snorted but walked casually over to the table. Nearest to her was an odd looking roasted fowl, so she tore off a leg and ate it slowly. She then muttered a spell and nothing happened. 

"I won't poison you. I wouldn't get rid of such a fine warriornot that way at least." Era snorted. Vortex shrugged and picked up an apple that was very red. "You will always be my servant. I can sense the future." 

The blonde haired sorceress dropped the apple and looked up as a skylight opened. 

Looking at nothing, Vortex said, "Toki wa purorogu wo kizamu. Time will carve the prologue, _Era." _

The voice of Era seemed unfazed. "Ha, we are past the prologue. Chapter one will begin in twelve hours, when your first assignment will be given." Era's voice was silenced and Vortex was left seemingly alone. 

Vortex looked through the skylight and at the sky, which was pink and gold, going into night. "Magus," she whispered, "I'll see you soon, I hope" 

A door leading to another room suddenly formed on the other side of the small chamber, and Vortex drifted over above the ground to it. Opening the door, she saw a shower, with a rather finely furnished showerhead. Vortex stepped out of the shower room and slammed the door behind her. 

Vortex leaned against the wall and closed her eyes. She didn't trust Era, so obviously she wouldn't use the bed to rest. Resthow long had been since she had had rest? She was too exhausted to answer right now; too exhausted to even consider what time period she was in 

* 

Magus slammed his fist into the wall. He had been transported to Lucca's house right after the fight with Era. It hadn't really been a fight; it was more of an enemy comes, none are hurt, but everyone's confused' type thing. Magus was outside the house, and everyone else was inside, healing his or her minor wounds. 

Kokoro's sword slowly unsheathed itself, and the blade floated over to Kokoro's hand. "My sword becomes the evil-killer Moon-Star!" she yelled as the tiny symbol appeared on the sword. With her powered-up blade in her hand, she walked over to Magus. 

"Era will return, of that you can be sure," Kokoro said in an airy and nonchalant tone. Magus turned on her. His enraged eyes met her expressionless face. 

Clenching his teeth and fists, Magus said, "You speak as if Vortex's disappearance does not concern you! Do you not feel even the _slightest _bit of concern for her?" 

To Magus's great surprise, Kokoro merely smirked. "On the contrary, Magus, I thought _you _were the emotionless warrior of this group. And now I find you _concerned _for a mage that nearly killed you!" 

Magus scowled. "I" He what? This girl had caught him. He had trained for years so that he did not feel. How did Vortex shred all of that work to bits? "We have had our differences, but" But what? 

Just as sudden as the issue had come up, it had been dropped. "Well, no matter," Kokoro said, waving her hand in a dismissive manner, "Era _will _return. I suggest we train until then." The two then floated silently out above the vortex that led to Heckran Cave on the Medina village continent. 

Sudden anger erupted out of Magus. "Argh! I shall destroy Era!" he turned and glared at Kokoro and formed Dark Matter in his hand. "You want to train? Let's train!!" 

Kokoro pulled out her sword and deflected the Dark Matter. Then she leapt forward and slashed madly at Magus. The mage, however, easily dodged each blow. Grinning, he flew up and Kokoro followed, still waving her sword trying to hurt him. 

"You aren't trying very hard!" Magus said with an evil smirk on his face. He clenched his right fist and black energy surrounded it. Then he spread his hand open and stretched his fingers out. 

Kokoro choked for a second, and then held her sword up in a defensive manner. Magus threw the magical power at Kokoro and the spell went right past her sword, and hit her square in the forehead. 

As the young girl fell to the ground, Magus readied another attack. Springing back up, Kokoro summoned her power. Her hair flew straight up and became blackish purple in color. Blue clothing and blood red gloves and boots replaced her normal wear, which had vanished completely. Her eyes became completely white, void of any other color. Shifting colors replaced Kokoro's otherwise white skin. 

_Ha! Tremble before my Nakabuto power! _Kokoro yelled in a psychic voice. Magus stood up and then jumped back. His Shadow magic pulsed through, almost erupting with his rage. Instead of becoming reckless and blinded with anger, his white face showed expressionless. 

"I have faced Vortex's alien power and triumphed, and it was consuming her. She was blinded by her power. Now the same thing is happening to you, you have even less control over your own strength than Vortex had," Magus growled, his energy now swirling around him. 

Kokoro's sarcastic grin appeared. _I have full control of my own energies, fool. Although it may seem I aim to kill, I am simply toying with you. Now, you shall see what it means to train with a Nakabuto warrior! _She laughed cockily. 

Magus's eyes narrowed. "You forget that a greater _Nakabuto _than you gave you that power of which you speak! Vortex gave it, and she can take it away." He closed his eyes and remembered the tearing pain that he endured while Vortex removed his own _Nakabuto _strength. 

A laugh echoed out of Kokoro's mouth. Then she smirked. _I see that your feelings for Vortex go deeper into your soul than you think! Anyway, don't you think to defeat Era, you will have to become even stronger than your opponent. I think you'd like the battle to be one-on-one with Era. I'm right, am I not? _

The mage rocked back. Did this girl have the ability to read minds? Did he really the battle to be him and Era, one-on-one? Yesyes, that's what he wantedbut was he strong enough? 

"You are correct! But, I must be able to defeat you before I take on Era!!" Magus roared, throwing a lake Dark Bomb at Kokoro. The girl dodged, and cast a spell herself and sent it careening at Magus. He jumped aside and drew out his scythe. At that instant, Kokoro's Moon-Star appeared. 

Kokoro smirked. _Weapons it is, then. _She rushed forward, brandishing her sword. Magus stood, silently awaiting her attack. He had learned that battles shouldn't be full of taunts and insults, but simple and brutal. 

"Eeeeeyaaaarrrggh!" Magus roared, blocking Kokoro's blade with the shaft of his Doom Sickle. Their powers clashed for a few seconds, then exploded into luminous lights flickering every few moments. 

Having heard clashes of weapons and yells of fury, Crono and the others ran outside to see Kokoro and Magus locked in a furious fight, their weapons grinding together. 

Marle stepped forward, aghast. "Wewe've gotta stop them!" she shrieked, loading her crossbow. Crono, a serious yet interested look on his face, extended an arm in front of Marle to stop her. 

"They are simply sparing," Crono said, smirking with amusement. He wove his other hand and the others put away their weapons and watched the battle. 

Magus didn't even glance at the assembled onlookers watching them. His attention was turned fully to the warrior he was facing, and her sharp and deadly sword. 

_It ends now. You cannot defeat me! I know you cannot destroy Eraat least, not in the way you wish it to be! _Kokoro laughed, pushing harder on the Moon-Star. 

Usually he didn't mind taunts, but for an odd reason, this particular insult stayed in Magus's mind. Suddenly, memories of recent occurrences became fresher in his memory. These images of emotion even he himself couldn't remember feeling. The instant flare of hope he had had when Vortex had exploded from Ellock, the secret, hidden, buried way his heart had leapt when Vortex had returned the first time, the way Vortex fought without taunts or insults 

Magus's rage burned deeper into his mind, controlling his attacks, and yet he was not blinded by this reckless power. He slashed and jabbed powerfully at Kokoro, who was taken by surprise at Magus's sudden change of attack pattern. 

_What's with you, Magus? We aren't fighting to kill! Wewe are simplysimply sparing! _Kokoro cried in a panicked voice. Unfortunately for her, this outcry landed on Magus's now deaf ears. He heard only the taunts of all the evil he had ever faced, felt only the pain and anguish that he had endured throughout his life, and saw only Vortex. 

My God,' he thought. I _do _care about herI _love _her. How can this be? I do not feel' 

Magus pushed violently on his scythe, and launching Kokoro's sword off the metal shaft. She toppled backwards, and her sword spun over and landed in the surf. The mage's eyes burned with hatred like he had never known, but not at Kokoro. He was glaring past her frightened, colorless eyes, and into the salty surf of the ocean. 

"Vortex" he whispered softly, his words carrying on the wind out to the ocean. "I shall find you, Vortex. And when I doEra will pay" 

Kokoro stood up slowly and cautiously walked over to Crono and the rest. They all were staring at Magus, who was talking lowly and lost in thought. Marle shrugged and Lucca was puzzled. Magus didn't normally act like this 

With a flick of his blood red cape Magus swiveled around and began to walk towards Lucca's house. A twinge of pain and the feeling of something running down his arm told him he had an injury. Caring not for his own welfare, he continued to the door. No one followed him inside. 

"What's the matter with me?" Magus asked aloud. "I have never felt lovenot since Schalabut this, even this, is in no comparison with what I felt for you, dear sister. 

"Why must I be plagued with constant images of this girl? She is cold, hard; ruthless." He ticked off her qualities slowly. 

Suddenly, a tiny voice in his mind began to speak. Ah, and yet you _like _these characteristics, don't you?' Magus fumed at this, and raged back to it, even if he was talking to himself. 

"She's the same as me! How can I notr-respect these attributes of which she must have worked very hard to obtain?" Magus said quietly yet pointedly. 

The little voice seemed to laugh. Isn't similarities the start of relationships?' it chuckled, appearing to like jerking Magus around. 

"RELATIONSHIP!!" he yelled, though quietly. He didn't want the others to hear and think he was crazy. 

Remember when you left and she was going to fight Era.' Just then, a memory came up in Magus's mind. 

Don't die a second time,' you had said. Is that not _caring, _oh heartless dark warrior?' Magus was just about to scream that nagging voice stupid, but it had vanished as suddenly as it had arrived. 

Shaking his head he opened the door. Standing outside were Crono and the others. Kokoro was floating above the ocean surf, looking for her sword. They all noticed Magus and came over. 

"You okay? You seemed kind of, well" Crono asked, looking sympathetically at Magus. 

"Don't waste your sympathy on me. I don't need it," Magus growled, walked over to the beach. All the others shrugged and then began sparing with each other. 

Kokoro then flew over, her sword in tow. _Great move, genius. Your little surge of rage nearly blew my sword to bits. If had lost it, my attack power would've decreased substantially. That would not have helped our odds much, _she grumbled in her psychic voice. Then, her hair went back to is normal position and became blue again. Her other _Nakabuto _features disappeared, and her original clothes appeared again. 

"You care about Vortex, and I have known this since I saw the way she acted when she mentioned your name to me," Kokoro explained gently. A gentle zephyr ruffled her and Magus's hair as the clashing of weapons and boom of magic spells could be heard behind them. 

Magus buried his face in his hands. "I didn't know I cared about herI didn't even feel anything! How could I? For years and years I have trained myself so I feel nothing, and yethow can Vortex stir up within me emotions I believed long forgotten?" he exclaimed, bringing his head back up and looking at Kokoro. For the first time, she was smiling. It was a warm, friendly smile, and somehowsomehow comforting to Magus. 

"Don't ask me why you or anyone else loves," Kokoro muttered gently. "I never was interested in caring for anyone back home. My mother didn't seem to care. She left me alone, I didn't use my sword on her." 

Magus looked up at Kokoro with surprise. 

She laughed. "Just cause my name means heart doesn't mean I have to have much of one. I think Vortex grew up and turned out the way she did because everyone was afraid of her and left her alone. I, on the other hand, discovered the way I was one day. I had not quite realized before that." She began staring out across the ocean, and gazing at the sunset. 

Just as the sky was becoming streaked with pink and gold, a few thumps and some muted panting told Magus and Kokoro that the day's sparing was over. The shimmering of golden sparks landed over all and healed their wounds. 

Magus and Kokoro stood up and walked inside Lucca's house, as did everyone else. The table, which had been buried underneath books and papers when Magus had been inside, was now clean and set for eight people. Despite the table covered with food, Lucca's parents were nowhere to be found. 

"They went to a machinery convention in Medina. Via ferry, you know." Lucca explained, sitting down and helping herself to the food. Everyone else joined in except for Magus, who went back outside and sat on a rock not far from the beach. 

"Vortexmy feelings for you have been truly opened. Please forgive me as I bury them one last time, for this battle only. Era is ruthless, much like youand I cannot expect mercy" Magus leaned his head on his hand and gazed out into the surf, which was spraying around a salty mist every once in a while. The sky gradually turned from pink and gold to blue velvet, and then to blue-black dotted with twinkling stars. Finally, after hours of staring at the blue-black sky, Magus got up off the rock and walked slowly into Lucca's house. 

* 

Vortex's eyes flashed open and she looked up through the skylight. The sky beyond the glass was shining with the colors of early morning light. She estimated it was about five o'clock in the morning. What time had it been when she had fallen asleep? Nine? The sun had been setting then 

If it was five now, then four hours were left until Vortex had to go perform some task for Era. 

"Wonder what it'll be" Vortex said, walking around the room. Then she realized: her cuts didn't hurt. Sure, they were there, a reminder of intense pain, but there wasno intense pain. As she marveled silently at this, a hologram of Era slowly came into view. 

"Question: How come you use that human body when you have you Lavos body or even the _Nakabuto _form?" Vortex inquired, scanning the purple-haired girl with her eyes. 

Era laughed slightly, but still answered. "The same reason you use the human form. I am stronger this way." Vortex quickly made a mental note to provoke Era into transforming if ever in a fight with her. "I can focus my Lavos power and siphon off this body's true form to strengthen my own abilities." 

"Ah." Vortex said lightly. 

"Four hours, _slave. _Tick, tock, tick, tock" Era snickered, and the silence returned. 

Something just dawned on Vortex. "I know what she will have me doIt will take all my willpower no to, I hope I'm strong enough" 

* 

As the early morning sun rose, light shined into Lucca's house, stirring the eight warriors. Slowly waking up, they each in turn when outside and gradually began to train again. Magus had been there about an hour before the rest, and he was again sitting on the rock. 

Suddenly standing up and flying off, the others looked up and wondered where he was going. Then, after about fifteen minutes of thinking where Magus could have gone, everyone returned to sparing. 

A surge of energy made everyone once again stop. A Gate formed and out stepped Vortex. Everyone froze. Something was amiss. 

Vortex then seemed to be listening to something. An instant later, Era appeared out of nowhere. The Lavos turned and glared at Vortex. 

"I thought I said for you to destroy them! Do it! NOW!" Era roared, her eyes blazing with rage. 

"I am not your slave, Era. I refuse to do your bidding." Vortex smirked as she said this. 

As this heated conversation was going on, Kokoro was slowly unsheathing Moon-Star. And, just as one of them materialized a small sphere of power, she leapt forward toward Era. 

"Take this!!" Kokoro yelled, beginning to bring her sword down on Era. Era, though, quickly turned around and grabbed the blade but was not even cut. Kokoro winced in surprise. 

Era grinned. "You think you can defeat with this simple sword? Hah! All of you combined could not destroy me!" she laughed. "Bring it on, you pathetic weaklings!!" 

Crono, Marle, and Ayla leapt forward and performed Final Kick. Their attacks hit air as Era moved faster than anything they had ever seen. 

The girl flipped and quickly dodged Crono's Rainbow. She then kicked his face and he fell. "Hah! One hit can fell anyone if the opponent is strong enough!!" she shouted in amusement as Crono landed on the ground and was knocked unconscious. 

"Stop!" Vortex yelled. Everyone halted in their attacks. "I'll handle this, it's my fault she's even here now!" Putting away their weapons and canceling their magic attacks, everyone stepped back from Vortex and Era. 

Vortex looked straight into Era's eyes. The Lavos stared back with glee and a bit of insanity. 

"We're not fighting here," Vortex said as she flew up. Era followed, and the others were a little ways back from them, Kokoro carrying a few of them and the others in the Epoch. Vortex led Era to the isle were the Giant's Claw had been in 600 AD. She gently touched down onto the grass while Era landed with a thump. The other warriors hovered above the summit of the mountain. Crono had been healed and joined them. 

"Where ever we fight, or, whenever, I shall still win." Era grinned and muttered a small spell. The two slashes Era had given Vortex sudden burned and her entire body seemed to be rocked with pain. 

"D-d-damn you!" Vortex roared as she ran forward and began her attack. 

Era nimbly dodged Vortex's blast of energy, but was caught by a punch that she threw seconds after the first attack. Vortex then gathered all her energy and a flash of black light burst from all around her for a second. Then, as an unusual mist vanished, Vortex stood in the midst of it, her eyes full of rage. 

"Is the _Nakabuto _angry at me?" Era snickered, staring at Vortex, who just glared back. 

* 

The others gently sat on a ledge about fifty feet up on the mountain. The Epoch was also sitting on the ledge, though precariously teetering back and forth. 

All watched with wonder except Kokoro, who was used to Vortex's extreme power. Even though what she had seen had been nearly the peak of the alien's power, Kokoro had never witnessed her true strength. 

"I wonder who will win," Lucca whispered. 

"Where is Magus?" Crono asked, looking around. 

"Kokoro, who do you think will win?" Marle asked, her eyes brimming with concern. 

Kokoro shifted slightly and looked at Marle. She didn't answer. 

* 

Vortex stared directly at Era, not daring to blink or wince from the pain burning in her shoulder and on her face. Instead, she was summoned every scrap of power she had, hoping she had had improved in skill since her last battles. 

Era smirked. "Are you ready to die?" she asked, the smirk turning into a cocky grin. Vortex, instead of answering, rose a hand and pointed at Era. 

Suddenly, she drew her hand back and made a black sphere appear in her palm. Within the dark essence of the ball, there were tiny prisms glistening and steadily becoming black in color. Vortex then smirked. 

A look of fury overcame both opponents face as Era prepared a counterspell and Vortex gathered what was needed for her attack. Era then waited for Vortex to launch her spell before attacking herself. 

"DEADLY CRYSTAL BARRAGE!" Vortex roared, willing the black sphere to explode and hundreds of sharp crystal shards to fly towards Era. 

Era in turn smiled, and her energy also burst and then a shimmering yellow beam was heading to meet the catapulting crystals. "DEATH REBORN!" 

The two beams collided, and each kept trying to force the other's beam off course. That, of course, would leave the other defenseless. 

Vortex faltered. The slashes Era had activated were distracting her, and she was slowly losing her ground. At that instant the burning within her became too much to bear. The crystals stopped flying at Era and the yellow beam that Era had shot was coming swiftly at her. 

A maniac grin was spread widely across Era's face. Her purple hair was blown completely back by her own power. Her spell was flying at Vortex, and the wounded sorceress wouldn't have time to move. 

"And so it ends before it has even begun, Vortex!!" Era yelled over the crackling power surging from herself. 

Just as the beam was seconds away from colliding with Vortex, a swift blur blocked half the beam and that portion of it hit Vortex. The sorceress flew back, severely injured, but she was still alive. Blood was running down her chin, emitting from her mouth, and from the cut on her shoulder and from the slash on her face. Her right eye was closed in pain, and her left eye barely open. 

Vortex focused on the savior, the one who had blocked half the beam and therefore had saved her life. She could vaguely see a shining metallic sort of stickit was a sword! 

"Kokoro!" Vortex shouted. There, an enraged and determined look on her face, stood the young girl, Moon-Star in hand. Her blue hair was moved slightly from the wind. Kokoro shot a grin back at Vortex. 

"You okay, Vortex?" she asked, her eyes returning to focus on Era. 

A soft, almost inaudible moan came from Vortex. "Yeah, I think so. Kindabeat up, though," she called back, staring past the young warrior to Era, who was grinning cockily. 

"Aaha pathetic, primitive human dares to challenge me! Well, well, kid, hit me, if you can!" Era then rushed forward and threw a small sphere of magical energy at Kokoro, who deflected it with her sword. 

Kokoro jumped up and flipped over Era and brought the flat side of the blade onto the back of her head. Era was knocked forward, and as she stood up, her eyes flashing with intense rage, a small trickle of blood could be seen sliding with beneath her hair and down the side of her face. 

"Take this!!" Kokoro roared, bringing her sword over her head and slashing at Era. Era dodged, though, and then she flipped around and elbowed Kokoro in the back. 

The Zealen girl charged up her energy and lifted her Moon-Star above her head. "Let's see you dodge this" Kokoro said, casting a spell while Era smirked at her. 

A red fire whirling around Kokoro's sword appeared and she spun around, holding the Moon-Star behind her. "BLAZING BLADE!" Kokoro yelled as the red fire crackled with surging magical energy and power. 

Era cocked her head to the left. "Oh, how cute. A color-changing sword," she mocked as she dodged effortlessly as Kokoro slashed at her. 

"Dodge this!" Kokoro, flying above Era, brought her sword down towards her head. Era flashed away and within milliseconds was behind Kokoro. She barely had time to muster a look surprise before Era slammed her to the ground. 

Era slowly hovered back down to the grass and stood over Kokoro as she strained to get up. Her sword had been thrown over a few yards away, and was now sticking, hilt up, in the ground. Era walked over to it and pulled it out of the dirt. After gazing at it for a few seconds, she threw it up into the air. 

"Say goodbye to your sword, kid!" Era yelled, launching a smaller version of Death Reborn' toward the blade. The thin yellow beam sped up toward the shimmering Moon-Star, until it collided with it halfway up the blade. Several sharp pieces of metal shattered, and the two largest parts, what was left of the blade and remnants of the hilt, clattered together in the air until landing on the grass next to Kokoro. 

Kokoro jumped up, a line of blood running down her face. She glared at Era, who, as always, just stood and smirked. 

"Youyou cannot win!!" Kokoro yelled, her eyes flashing with rage. She glanced at the broken sword on the ground, then at Vortex who was watching but still wincing in pain. 

A strong wind blew across the isle. Era grinned maliciously as the gust ruffled her purple hair. "What're you going to do? Without your sword you're _nothing!" _Era called to Kokoro. 

Kokoro shot a glance at Vortex then looked back at Era. "Subetechikara ni" she chanted, a silvery-black aura surrounding her. "kaeyou!!!" 

The young girl's hair became purple-black in color, but did not move or shift otherwise. Her skin began to fluctuate and change colors and her eyes became white, though a tinge of color appeared in them when her skin changed colors. Her clothes disappeared and were replaced with dark blue clothing and blood-red boots and gloves. 

Kokoro looked straight at Era as her skin suddenly shifted into a light greenish color. _Sodid you think I was a simple, weak human with no hidden power? A primitive lifeform that had no hope of even surviving a single hit from you? I am still standing, am I not?_ She said in a soundless voice. 

Era took a step back, clearly shaken. Within seconds, though, she regained her composure. "Even _Nakabuto _are primitive! Will you fools never learn? You can't win! With one cry, I could summon a fleet of my comrades!! I may be known as the rebel Era among the _Nakabuto_," she growled, "I am a great warrior amid my own kind!" 

Her opponent grinned. _So, you're talking about the other sewer rats, then? _Kokoro mocked. Era fumed with rage. 

"Perhaps I should cut you, then! Like I did your little friend over there!" Era gestured to Vortex, who was still clutching her left shoulder in pain. Blood was sliding down from the wound on her right cheek. Her right eye was also closed in pain. 

Vortex looked up, her left squinting. "Don'ttry to block it! It can't bedodged!! Don't let pride consume you" she yelled, slowly removing her hand from her shoulder. 

_I won't. Thank you_ Kokoro said softly. Era threw a blade of black energy at her, but she dodged. The evil girl quickly appeared behind her, and Kokoro was thrown to the ground in seconds. 

That was it. Kokoro's power had run out. Her hair faded back to blue, her eyes, skin, and clothing became normal again. She groaned in pain and succumbed to unconsciousness. 

Era turned her head to see Vortex slowly walked toward her, her right eye closed, but otherwise seemingly unscathed. 

"Aren't you the persistent one," Era snickered as Vortex gathered her energy. 

"I'm not done yet! If I'm going down, I'm taking you with me!!" Vortex yelled. 

Era perked up. "Kamikaze? Hah, ha! This brawl _will _provide adequate entertainment after all!" Grinning, she crossed her arms. "All right, give me your best shot!!" 

Vortex faltered but didn't fall. The slash on her face was slowly draining her blood. "You do not control metake this!!" 

Leaping forward, Vortex cast a small spell and an orb of darkness surrounded Era. The orb then exploded, leaving her slightly wounded. Era turned, enraged, to face Vortex. 

"You leave me no choice, _Nakabuto!! _I will drain your power and leave you dead on the grass!" Era shot a sphere of blue light at Vortex. The sorceress dodged, but Era kept firing. The sphere didn't vanish, and so, with so many energy-absorbing spells on the ground, it became very hard to avoid them. 

Vortex turned her head up to stare at the group that was perched on the mountain. "Get into the air! Take Kokoro and avoid those blue orbs!!! Do it, NOW!!" she roared, and they instantly complied. Ayla dropped down, grabbed Kokoro, and scurried back up the mountain. 

"It's just you and I now" Era smirked, watching the group all hanging onto the Epoch, which clearly couldn't hold more than three, that was slowly losing altitude. 

"I know," Vortex responded, the pain in her face and shoulder making her wince. Era grinned. 

"The pain is wearing you down. In a little bit, you'll fail and collide with one of my spheres. Then your power will be mine and my kind shall come and take this planet's energy. Then, when it is nothing but a cold, inhabitable shell, Ishall destroy it!!" Era cried with pride. 

Vortex blinked. "Youaren't very respected amongst your fellow Lavoses, are you? Noyou a loner, a drifterI bet you are attempting to destroy us so you can claim this and regain respect with your superiors. I'm right, am I not?" 

"You littleprimitive _Nakabuto! _With my species or not, they are pending the invasion of your home planet. So who will have the last laugh, eh? It will be meus, the most powerful species in the galaxythe universe!!" Era proclaimed. She held up her right hand and a yellow sphere appeared in her palm. 

"DEATH REBORN!!!" Era roared, throwing the sphere forward and willing it to explode. The bursting energy was then concentrated into a beam. The beam flew forward at Vortex. 

Vortex leapt back and gathered her strength. "No! I don't have enough power!!" Panic was settling onto Vortex, but she quickly calmed. "I am a warrior, thus I am prepared to die in battle. But I'm not going down without a fight!!!" 

* 

Crono watched Vortex and Era with rapt attention. Eight people were in the Epoch, and it could stay that way unless they attempted to time-travel. He knew that her power was almost gone, but what could they do? He himself had been knocked down with one hit from Era 

"Isn't there something we can do?" Lucca shrieked, clearly showing her worry for Vortex. 

Marle was trying hard not to look at Era and Vortex and was occupying herself with healing Kokoro. Within a few seconds, the young girl was stirring and then climbed off the floor of the Epoch slowly. 

"I heard your question, Lucca. My magic power may be gone, but yours isn't! You could give your power to Vortex, if you wanted to," Kokoro said, trying to be nonchalant but clearly failing. 

Marle snapped her fingers and jumped up. "Yes! Like we did for Magus that one time! Remember?" Everyone quickly summoned their strongest attacks and threw the power at Vortex. 

* 

A sudden surge of energy made Vortex turn. Seven magic spells were catapulting towards her. Grinning slightly, she leapt up and absorbed the power. Slowly floating back down to the ground, Vortex called the newly-given energy. 

Era was one step ahead of Vortex though. She shot a sharp blade of energy at Vortex, and it quickly penetrated the skin of her left arm. Vortex staggered but didn't fall. 

"Ahmy arm!" Vortex cried, seeing her limp, useless arm. The blade of energy has shut down all the muscles and nerves in her left arm, leaving it motionless and useless. 

A look of blazing anger was exchanged between the two opponents. The air between them seemed to crackle with their rage and power. The fight had strayed from magic spells to shots and blasts of pure, raw energy, but which would be the finale? Magic, or energy? 

"Let it be here that you die, Vortex! Your race will not care!" Era yelled, gathering her power. 

"Perhaps it will be that lies dead on the grass, not I!" Vortex called back as she prepared her most powerful spell. 

Era pulled back her hands behind her back and a blue ball of magical power formed in her palms. A swirl of raw energy whirled around her and dirt from the ground was blown up into the air. 

Vortex curled the fingers of her right hand and slowly moved her hand backwards. Her other arm still hung limp, and the two slashes still burned, but she wasn't swayed. A black orb appeared around her right hand, and it grew gradually. 

"ULTIMATE DEMISE!" Era roared, sending the blue ball flying at Vortex. Halfway to its destination, however, the orb exploded into a hundred razor sharp blades, whirling towards the sorceress. 

Vortex grinned with an insane and defeated look. "Special Inspiration" she said, the black orb flying up and changing colors swiftly. The ball then combusted into a large beam, which began quickly trying to deflect the blades. Too many dodged the spell, however, and they each blasted Vortex with the dark power of a Lavos. 

After thirty blades injured Vortex, she fell, blood running down her face, wounds all over her, clothes cut and slashed. The maniac glow that surrounded her during the fight faded, and she was fighting unconsciousness. 

Era laughed wildly and walked toward the fallen mage, and lifted up her right hand. A small energy-absorbing sphere materialized in her hand. 

"It appears I will have your power after allI think my kind will welcome me back with open arms when I obtain your strength. If only you had not allowed me to weaken you, I would have lostlost royally," Era grinned as the sphere grew larger. 

The sphere grew larger and it embarked from Era's palm 

The ball grew larger still and inched towards Vortex 

Blue light cascaded over the wounded girl, and the ball was millimeters away 

A cry of fury erupted from the sky. Era hesitated. 

Something fast slammed into Era and sent her careening over to the side, rolling in the dirt. She jumped up, enraged. A look of bemusement came over to her face when she saw the attacker. 

Magus. 

He stood there, blood-red cape flapping the breeze, glaring at Era, but every few seconds his eyes flickered to Vortex. 

"Come to die, human?" Era called out mockingly. 

Magus met her crazy eyes with a steely cold stare. "I have come to kill you." 

A gust wind blew across the small, partially-destroyed island. Era erupted into wild laughter. 

"Youkill me? Ah hah ha hah haaa!" Era gestured to Vortex. "She could not defeat me, not even when she was at her zenith! And now, you claim to have powers superior to hers, hmmm?" 

Magus blinked. "She is stronger than I. That I do not deny. Butshe was only at the zenith you allowed her." 

Era set her hands on her hips. "Alright, then, _human. _Give me your best shot!" 

Magus spread his arms wide. He began his chant, which was familiar, but with some modifications. 

"Neuga, ziena, zieber, zomNow the chosen time has comeThe time destined for the defeat of Lavos warrior" he yelled, black energy surrounding him. 

"What power is this?" Era mused, half curious, half frightened. 

The ground around Magus exploded, and the Shadow magic was given form from mere power. The magical power gathered itself into one spell, into one specific spot. 

"DARK MATTER!!" Magus roared, as not three but nine triangles hurled themselves at Era. For a spilt second, as the Shadow magic demolished the Lavos girl, a flicker of a _Nakabuto's _true form appeared in front of Magus. 

"Impossible!!" Era screamed as her body was disintegrated. "A human and a _Nakabuto? _NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!" 

And she was gone. 

Magus dropped to his knees with sweat running down his face. He had left from Lucca's house in search of greater magic skillluckily, he had found the right book at the right time. After a short time, the others came leaping down from the Epoch. Magus paid no attention to their cries and congratulations on his victory, but instead he walked slowly over to Vortex, who was being healed by Marle. 

Vortex sat up and Magus knelt down, relief washing over him. She was okay, she was alive, and she didn't die 

"Vortexwant to say" Magus started, trying to find the right words for what he felt. 

Vortex smiled and shushed him. For a few seconds the just sat there, both looking into each others eyes, and then they embraced. 

Crono and Marle smiled knowingly and hugged each other too. 

Kokoro picked up the pieces of her broken sword with Glenn's help. 

Robo watched interestedly at the display of human love. 

Lucca smiled with happiness and looked with a flirting glance at Glenn. 

And Ayla just blinked and watched without comment. 

All through the ranks of the nine greatest heroes on the planet, there was a peace and contentment for many years to come 

. 

Fin  
(Again, not really) 

. 

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